Amid Pakistan’s persisting issues with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the bailout, former finance minister Miftah Ismail on Wednesday claimed that Ishaq Dar has “sabotaged IMF agreement” and the Washington-based lender doesn’t trust Pakistan anymore.
While speaking during a session titled ‘Pakistan in the midst of crisis’ organized by a private university in Karachi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that when he was heading the Ministry of Finance, he spoke to the IMF officials and assured them that Pakistan would not make false statements or violate the agreement; however, when Ishar Dar was sworn in “he sabotaged the agreement”.
He recalled that Pakistan has three times made sovereign commitments and has then gone back on them.
“Now the IMF is not interested in giving money to Pakistan,” he said, emphasizing that the Washington-based lender doesn’t trust the government in Islamabad.
Miftah stated that he doesn’t think the government’s Sunday announcement of the petrol relief subsidy would be successful.
“By accepting loans, we provide subsidies on gasoline,” he remarked.
Many red flags have been raised since the government announced the petroleum subsidy, which was initially announced at Rs50 per liter and later hiked to Rs100 per liter. Analysts and economic experts have criticized the move as it may jeopardize the ongoing effort to persuade the IMF board.
