The International Monetary Fund (IMF) rejected Pakistan’s request to relax the conditions for a new loan of $6 billion, the state minister said in a policy statement to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance.
Dr. Ayesha Pasha for Finance said that Pakistan has no solution except to go to the IMF at this time. The meeting was presided over by Qaiser Sheikh. Dr. Ayesha said that the government of Pakistan had requested the IMF to relax the conditions given for the 6 billion dollar loan program, but the institution did not agree to it.
she said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself had spoken to the Managing Director of the IMF, but the institution still did not agree. The members protested against the non-attendance of the Finance Minister in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance of the National Assembly, on which Nafisa Shah has suggested that the bill for contempt of parliament has been passed by the Chairman. Why not use it while Minister of State Ayesha Ghos Pasha has said that the supply and demand system of food items in the country has become stagnant due to floods, we were in the IMF program and could not give relief to the people, the direction of the government is correct.
Yes, the increase in inflation will be in single digits by next year, the provincial governments should take steps to reduce prices, budgeting is being done according to the instructions of IMF, there is no other option except IMF, Pakistan has Three billion dollars of debt was returned, we did not default, if the staff level agreement is signed, three billion dollars more will be received.
On Thursday, a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance was held under the chairmanship of Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh, in which the chairman of the committee said that the finance minister has not come to this committee till date, we wish that he should also come to this committee. One of the members said that it is not only a desire, we also have a protest. Minister of State Dr. Ayesha Ghos Pasha said that Minister Finance is very busy at the moment, due to the budget and political situation we also get less of them.
The chairman said that the finance minister is meeting with everyone else, he only does not come to our committee, in the committee you tell what we know through the press. The chairman said that if this is to be done, then the committee should be abolished.