ISLAMABAD – In another blow to the ruling alliance, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cleared the air that there are no such restrictions under EFF program, that will not be allowing authorities from holding constitutional activities, referring to scheduled elections.
In a statement, the global lender for another time contradicted claims of incumbent government members who are making desperate moves to delay elections and even cited financial restrictions for it.
To clear the air, Resident Representative to Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz issued a statement, saying “Decisions regarding the constitutionality, feasibility, and timing of the provincial and general elections rest solely with Pakistan’s institutions. There is no requirement under Pakistan’s EFF-supported program which could interfere with Pakistan’s ability to undertake constitutional activities.”
She further maintained that the fund will set aggregate general government targets (aggregating across federal and provincial government levels) and within these, there is fiscal space to allocate or reprioritize spending and/or raise additional revenues to ensure constitutional activities can take place as required.
The recent development comes a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan postponed the Punjab elections, which were slated to hold on April 30. Electoral watchdog maintained withdrawal from the election program, saying the fresh schedule will be issued in due course of time with the poll date on October 8.
The volte-face from ECP comes as Supreme Court ruled that the elections to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies should be held within the stipulated period of 90 days.
Let it be known that Pakistan is now the only South Asian country that’s yet to unlock a bailout from IMF as Sri Lanka clinched financing this week and Bangladesh pushes on with carrying out IMF-mandated reforms.
