Islamabad: Former chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Shabbar Zaidi claimed on Tuesday that Pakistan cannot avoid default in 2024, adding that the current government is merely deceiving the country.
While speaking with a local news channel, Mr Zaidi said that the federal government was going to unveil the budget on June 9, but the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) programme has not yet been finalised.
“Pakistan cannot repay debts despite the revival of the IMF programme after June,” he claimed.
He argued that the country cannot make internal and external debt repayments till 2028.
“The incumbent government is fooling the nation for eight months as Pakistan cannot avoid default in 2024. When Sri Lanka faced default, the dollar price had reached the value of Rs390. The dollar price in Pakistan is now standing at Rs310.”
Pakistan will soon come out of current economic crisis: Dar
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is adamant that the country will “soon will come out of the current economic crisis with collective efforts”.
He said that the downward slide of the economy has stopped due to strenuous efforts of the coalition government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He said Pakistan needs everyone’s efforts and contribution to steer the country out of the present situation. He said we will try our best to prepare a balanced federal budget while keeping in view the economic constraints the country is facing.
