ISLAMABAD – A wide range of speculations were spread amid unexpected delay in the International Monetary Fund deal, and some even touched country’s nuclear program.
The matter even landed in the upper house of the parliament when Senator Raza Rabbani lamented the situation and asked if it delay has something to do because of some sort of pressure to be exerted on our nuclear program.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who also attended the Senate’s session, responded that there would be no compromise on Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programmes while responding to question raised by Senator Raza Rabbani.
Mr Dar said there is no question to compromise nuclear programme for the revival of the stalled International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package. He further maintained that nobody has any right to dictate to us what range of missiles and what nuclear weapons we can have.
We represent Pakistani people and we have to guard our national interests, he added.
Response to a query raised by an honourable Senator as to the causes of delay in signing off the Staff Level Agreement with IMF during Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Senate of Pakistan👇 pic.twitter.com/BMECbZNXUs
— Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) March 16, 2023
Expressing his views on the unexpected delay, the PML-N stalwart said the delay was not on the part of the incumbent government, linking it with the ousted government of Imran Khan that signed the agreement. Dar said 2019 arrangements with the IMF have been a different and new program.
Taking a jibe at PTI members, he blamed them for hampering IMF demands including the autonomy of the central bank. He continued saying that the current government has done everything to unlock funds. He assured that friendly nations made commitments to bilaterally support us and lender is now asking that they should actually complete and materialise those pledges.
