WASHINGTON: Pakistan underwent a major breakthrough in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a finance ministry official said the Fund would jack up its $6bn programme to $8bn for Pakistan, reported.
The development comes shortly after IMF’s announcement about sending a mission to Pakistan in May after the global lender held “several meetings” with Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and his team in Washington.
Following his meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Finance Minister Miftah Ismail assured the nation that Pakistan has “not defaulted” in its over 70-year history and will not do so in the future either.
Addressing a press conference alongside State Minister for Finance and Revenue Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha, Miftah said that dealings and commitments carried out during former prime minister Imran Khan’s tenure were with the state of Pakistan, therefore, the incumbent government will abide by those dealings.
“We [the coalition government] are responsible for that and the loans Imran Khan took, we are responsible for that as well,” the finance minister told journalists in Washington.
He added that even the commitments related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that the previous government made were now the responsibility of the incumbent regime to take care of.
“The Government of Pakistan has not defaulted in its 70-year history and will not default in the future as well,” the minister said with certainty.
