Take parliament on board regarding IMF deal: PPP

Shah, Rabbani ask govt to present all conditions before parliament

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Khurshid Shah has demanded the government to present terms of the IMF agreement before parliament if it gives any importance to the honourable house.

The PPP leader made these remarks while addressing a press conference here on Monday, added the IMF agreement is not a nuclear deal and its details should not be kept hidden from the lawmakers.

“Earlier the government prepared the budget without consulting the opposition parties but now it seems the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is making the budget,” he said asking if this is the change Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to bring about.

Shah while criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government said that on one hand PM Imran makes tall claims of discovering oil and gas while on the other his advisor claims that despite spending a massive amount into the search — nothing was discovered.

“The increasing value of dollar has also doubled the burden of debt while the prime minister has taken the economy to a level where it has become a challenge for everyone,” he said while calling upon the opposition to unite as there’s no other way.

The PPP leader further added that economy is the backbone of the country but the government’s failed policies have affected it negatively. He noted that former finance minister Asad Umar has admitted his failure while the government’s own appointed Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was removed by the government itself.

Meanwhile, former chairman Senate and PPP senior leader Mian Raza Rabbani also asked the government to bring forward the conditions of the IMF agreement as sooner or later these conditions would start coming to light.

“IMF has directed Pakistan to obtain assurance from China, UAE and Saudi Arabia that they will extend the time period for the loans that have to be paid in the next financial year,” claimed Rabbani adding that certain conditions have already started becoming public.

The PPP leader expressed his concern that this is the first time the international body has asked any country to implement such a condition while the IMF itself is not willing to extend the limit for returning its own loans.

Furthermore, Rabbani maintained that with implementation of the IMF’s condition, the dollar has been left at the mercy of the open market while gas, petrol and electricity prices are set for a massive increase in the coming days.

He said that it is deplorable that government has increased the bills of the low income gas consumers while it has recommended a decrease in the bills of the industrialists and investors.

“This is the economic price that Pakistan will have to pay,” lamented the PPP leader while accusing the PTI-led government of compromising national security, preferences and provincial autonomy.