KARACHI: President of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Tuesday the government had lost support of its coalition partners, though they could take a couple of days to announce they were not voting for Prime Minister Imran Khan during the no-confidence session.
The PDM politician issued the statement during a joint news conference with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders after holding a meeting with them in Karachi.
The opposition alliance submitted a no-trust motion against the prime minister in the National Assembly Secretariate on March 8, accusing his administration of mismanaging the country’s economy and foreign policy.
The Pakistani prime minister has also faced defections in his party and criticism from his allies, making the opposition claim that he has lost his majority in the lower house of parliament.
“The allies of the government are no longer with it, though they may take some time to announce their support for us,” the PDM president said during the joint news conference, adding: “I am leaving with full confidence.”
Asked about the chances of success of the no-confidence motion, Rehman said he was certain of it.
Speaking to media, a top MQM-P leader, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, said he had an understanding with the PDM chief to continue such conversations with the opposition, though he added that his political faction was different from others in several respects.
“We have no political space,” he maintained. “We are only the political party with more than 100 workers missing.”
Siddiqui said the MQM-P also wanted a strong local government system.
The PDM president maintained the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which rules the Sindh province, was willing to accommodate MQM-P suggestions regarding the local government law.
Asked by Arab News if Rehman was right that MQM-P and other coalition partners of Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to leave the government, Siddiqui said his party was not in a haste.
“We have yet to finalize our decision,” he said. “We are unhappy with the government and have a very bad experience with the opposition. We are not in a hurry and have more options than others.”
Siddiqui also informed that his party would not participate in PDM’s Islamabad march, adding the MQM-P was not part of the opposition and was still a component of the government.
Pakistani opposition alliance says government’s coalition partners no longer supporting PM Khan
https://arab.news/mdfxz
Pakistani opposition alliance says government’s coalition partners no longer supporting PM Khan
- The top PDM leader visits the MQM-P headquarters in Karachi ahead of the no-confidence vote against the prime minister
- An MQM-P leader tells Arab News his party may be unhappy with the government but it also has bad experience with the opposition
IMF staff to visit Pakistan Feb. 25 for key loan reviews as reforms stabilize economy
- Talks to cover third review under $7 billion bailout and climate resilience program
- Analysts warn tax shortfall, power tariff cuts could face scrutiny by lender
KARACHI: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team will visit Pakistan from Feb. 25 to begin discussions on key program reviews, the lender said on Thursday, as authorities seek to lock in recent economic stabilization after a prolonged financial crisis.
The talks will cover the third review under Pakistan’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) bailout and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), which supports countries dealing with climate vulnerabilities.
Pakistan has spent the past year implementing tough fiscal and structural reforms — including tax increases, subsidy cuts and a tighter monetary policy — to stabilize a fragile economy that faced record inflation, dwindling foreign reserves and default fears in 2023.
“We do have a staff team that is expected to visit Pakistan starting February 25th for discussions on the third review under the EFF and the second review under the RSF,” IMF communications director Julie Kozack said at a regular press briefing.
The IMF says the program aims to restore macroeconomic stability, rebuild external buffers and make Pakistan more resilient to climate shocks following devastating floods in recent years.
Kozack said Pakistan’s policy implementation had already produced measurable improvements.
“Pakistan’s policy efforts under the EFF have helped stabilize the economy and rebuild confidence,” she said.
She noted fiscal indicators were improving in line with program targets.
“Pakistan currently has a primary fiscal surplus of 1.3 percent of GDP in FY25, which was in line with program targets. Headline inflation has been relatively contained. And Pakistan posted its first current account surplus in 14 years in FY2025.”
Pakistani authorities have also cited improving macroeconomic trends.
Governor State Bank of Pakistan Jameel Ahmad has said growth could reach about 4.75 percent in the fiscal year ending June, while inflation, which peaked above 38 percent in May 2023, has fallen sharply over the past year following interest rate hikes and fiscal tightening.
The IMF official added that governance reforms remain a major component of the program.
“The governance and corruption diagnostic assessment report was recently published,” Kozack said.
“It includes proposals for reforms, including simplifying tax policy design, levelling the playing field for public procurement, and improving the asset declaration transparency.”
The upcoming review will determine whether Pakistan remains eligible for continued disbursements under the bailout program and help reinforce investor confidence.
Analysts say the review is likely to pass but may involve difficult negotiations on fiscal discipline and energy policy.
“This is expected to be a smooth sailing, however questions might arise,” Shankar Talreja, head of research at Karachi-based Topline Securities Limited, told Arab News.
Experts say the IMF could question whether Islamabad consulted the lender before reducing electricity tariffs by about Rs4 per unit for export-oriented industries, a move designed to support manufacturing but with fiscal implications.
He also flagged a revenue gap.
“Pakistan has missed” the IMF’s revenue target by Rs336 billion ($1.2 billion), he said.
“Tax revenue shortfall which is one of the indicative targets which Pakistan has missed.”
Muhammad Waqas Ghani, head of research at JS Global Capital Limited., said the next review may be “tough”:
“Although (Pakistan’s) macroeconomic indicators have improved since the start of the program, the IMF is still expected to press firmly on energy reforms and circular debt before clearing the next tranche, which the government is likely to secure after tough negotiations.”
