ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has cleared the air amid media reports suggesting that he will skip the IMF and World Bank meetings scheduled to be held in Washington.
Friday’s rumors raised several eyebrows and Dar holds a presser in which he dismissed rumours that officials from International Monetary Fund (IMF) refused to meet him at the Bretton Woods institutions’ spring meetings.
Delving into details, the PML-N stalwart clarified that he postponed his visit scheduled visit to Washington at request made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as political turmoil deepens after Supreme Court’s ruling.
The country’s finance chief maintained that Pakistan is a member of the IMF and not a beggar, emphasizing that US-based lender cannot stop him from attending the meetings.
Amid the uncertain situation, the minister said he will virtually attend the upcoming annual spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund.
وفاقی وزیر خزانہ اسحاق ڈار پریس کانفرنس کر رہے ہیں https://t.co/B30Uyt0yty
— PMLN (@pmln_org) April 8, 2023
He flagged deteriorating political situation, saying the Supreme Court of Pakistan has asked the government to issue funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold elections in Punjab, and added that cash strapped country has repaid debt of around eleven billion dollars in recent times.
During his address, the PML-N leader again gave hope to seal the agreement with the IMF in days to come and also expressed hope to get assurances from all friendly nations for additional funds.
The South Asian nation has been negotiating with the International Monetary Fund since last year for the release of the bailout package. The lender, however, has not been satisfied as it forced the government to end all subsidies, besides removing an artificial cap on the exchange rate, imposing hefty taxes, and raising fuel prices.
Ishaq Dar shows mirror to Imran Khan over ‘irresponsible statements’ on economy
