A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is meeting with key leaders and especially the chiefs of political parties in Pakistan, including PTI’s Imran Khan, before the July 12 meeting of its executive board which is set to make a final decision on the $3 billion loan programme for Pakistan.
The Fund is “seeking support” for the agreement from the leaders of ruling and opposition parties, said IMF’s resident representative Esther Perez Ruiz.
It wants the political parties to support “key objectives and policies under a new IMF-supported program ahead of the approaching national elections.”
With general elections expected in the coming months, experts say the IMF would want whomever comes to power remains committed to its new SBA.
What if some of the political parties refuse to extend support for the $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement, we asked the experts, will it have a bearing on the deal?
The experts said it was very likely.
The programme is also seen as crucial since Pakistan has faced a barrage of woes in recent months with a perceived default risk and downgrade by international ratings agencies reflecting the state of the economy that has suffered from major political turmoil and frequent change in key leadership as well.
The meetings between IMF and political leaders were first announced by the PTI’s Hammad Azhar.
“PTI’s economic team has been approached by the IMF to solicit the party’s support for the USD 3 BN Stand-By Agreement and its broad objectives,” said the PTI leader in a tweet.
“An IMF team will call on Party Chairman Imran Khan at Zaman Park this afternoon. Both PTI’s economic team and the IMF team will join, in person and virtually, to take part in the discussions,” he added.
In response, some of Twitter users claimed that PTI would use the opportunity to derail the deal.
Others said the party should demand assurance from the Fund for free and fair elections in the country.
However, PTI is not the only party the IMF team will be visiting. It will also meet leaders from PPP, PMLN, and other political parties.
