Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation would visit Pakistan in the next few days to discuss and finalise the nitty-gritty details of the 9th review under which Pakistan is expected to get over $1.50 billion from the international lender.
Addressing a function to launch the Hazara Electric Supply Company, he said that a day earlier, IMF’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva called him and they discussed the 9th review Pakistan was supposed to receive from the lender.
He said that he has made it clear to the IMF top official that Pakistan would abide by its commitment to the lender but the government will not levy more taxes on the poor and the flood-hit victims.
IMF top official told to show flexibility
He said he has requested the IMF top official to show flexibility and support Pakistan to come out of the economic malaise partly caused by the devastating floods.
The premier said that on Thursday, he had a telephonic conversation with Chinese Prime Minister Li Kaqiang, who told him that he has also told the IMF managing director to reach out to Pakistan, a time-tested friend of China.
The prime minister said that though Pakistan was passing through a tumultuous days, the tide will be turned with the help of the masses and traders, who he requested to cooperate with the government in the early closure of markets.
The premier said that the Hazara Electric Supply Company was a gift to the people of Hzara and it had been segregated from the PESCO. He said that all nitty-gritty details of the company will be sorted out soon and handed over to the people of Hazara who will own and operate it.
He said that every effort would be made to facilitate the masses. Shehbaz said that orders have been issued for laying gas pipelines in the Hazara division and the residents will get the gas as soon as they are laid. He said that funds allocated for the installation of the gas pipelines were not used in the past.
He said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif completed 5000 megawatts of electricity projects, but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government led by former prime minister Imran Khan showed utter negligence in launching mega projects. He said that the PTI government failed to secure gas from Qatar and other countries when it was available for 2 dollars per kilogram in the international market.
He said that Imran instead focused on the political victimization of opponents. He is now unable to tell Pakistanis that he initiated a single mega project and unveiled a single plaque, he said and added that Imran Khan destroyed society by introducing vulgar language. “He is a top hypocrite,” the premier said.
Shehbaz said that all institutions, including the army supported Imran Khan and they did it in good faith to take the country forward, but he exhibited dismal performance. “Imran Khan proved to be unfaithful and disloyal and the most unsuccessful prime minister of the country,” Shehbaz said.
He said that Imran Khan also angered friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE and China, through his follies, and these friendly countries complained about his gaffes. Still, his stature did not allow him to recount them in public.
