PPP asks for details of talks with IMF

'PM who kept claiming he would prefer suicide over loans did not feel ashamed in kneeling down to the IMF'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has demanded of the federal government to disclose the details of negotiations struck with the International Monetary Fund and other bodies in the parliament.

PPP leader and former senate chairman Nayyar Bukhari while responding to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with IMF chief Christine Lagarde in Dubai said, “Selected Prime Minister’s meetings with the IMF and loan agreement details should be disclosed to the nation”.

The PPP leader termed PM’s talks with the international lender another U-turn and a depiction of another inconsistency in his words and actions.

“The PM who kept claiming that he would prefer suicide over loans did not feel ashamed in kneeling down to the IMF,” Nayyar said, while observing that “a person with a begging mindset was humiliating the country’s prestige”.



Criticising the premier, Bokhari said, “Imran Khan’s speech at the World Summit is synonymous to dishonouring the country,” adding that “dropping the inflation bomb on a common man was an implementation of IMF’s condition”.

The PPP leader maintained that the Pakistanis were playing an exemplary role in the country’s progress and prosperity.
Senator Sherry Rehman also urged the government to address the reservations of the opposition over the IMF bailout package and disclose the terms of the agreement in parliament.

"Why are the terms of the agreement being kept secret?" she asked. "How much of a loan will the government be taking from the IMF and what are the terms?"

"This agreement means the budget for the coming year will be coming from IMF headquarters," Rehman alleged.

"Are funds for the provinces being decreased on IMF's call?" Rehman asked.

"Details of the agreement should be presented in the parliament," she asserted.

"The government should maintain transparency and remove our reservations before the agreement is reached," demanded the PPP leader.

Commenting on the issue, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s spokesperson Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar asked “if the government wanted to approach the IMF then why it played with the country’s economy for six months?”

He said that a person who taunted others bowed in front of the IMF chief.

He pointed out that inflation, unemployment and uncertain economic situation in the country had made the lives of people difficult.