ISLAMABAD: On Friday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar condemned a “handful of miscreants” protesting outside the World Bank and International Monetary Fund offices in the United States.
The information minister told the media in Islamabad that the country was not formed for the objective that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was pursuing.
Tarar slammed the PTI, saying, “Their previous attitude was likewise anti-nationalist. They want the IMF to give Pakistan a grant if their leader is released.”
The minister stated that the PTI would inform the country that the US had plotted to overthrow its government in 2022, but that protests were taking place in the United States.
“The anti-national party embroiled in May 9 incidents is working against Pakistan’s interests,” he said
On the IMF mission’s visit to Pakistan, the minister stated that talks with the delegation were progressing well and that he was optimistic about the outcome.
He stated that the prime minister intended to settle national challenges as soon as possible, which is why he has proposed extensive economic reforms.
The Prime Minister is also considering expanding the revenue base, reducing government spending, and reorganizing the Federal Board of Revenue, he stated.
The IMF criticizes the ministry’s declaration.
The visiting IMF team, on the other hand, has expressed its displeasure with the Ministry of Finance’s verdict that it had materialized all structural benchmarks and quantitative and indicative targets even prior to scrutinizing and completing the review by the Fund staff, according to a The News report published.
IMF Mission Chief Nathan Porter and his colleagues expressed their displeasure that the finance ministry had announced its verdict before the completion of the review process under the $3 billion Standby Arrangement (SBA) programme, which they had only recently begun, and that they would issue their prescriptions only after analysing official data from various sectors of the national economy.
Before the discussions on Wednesday, the finance ministry claimed in an official handout that they had met all structural benchmarks and other targets before receiving input from the IMF.
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