ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Wednesday described Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s decision to send a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), asking it to ensure election audit before any discussion on financial bailouts for the country, as “highly irresponsible” and in contradiction to its overall political narrative.
Last week, a group of lawyers representing the PTI founding leader, Imran Khan, said he wanted to send a letter to the IMF after raising the allegations of rigging in the recent general elections in the country earlier this month.
The party revealed on Wednesday it had dispatched the letter to the international lending organization, asking it to link any financing for Pakistan to “good governance” and the audit of at least 30 national and provincial assembly seats.
Kakar expressed his displeasure over the development during an interview with a local news channel.
“This is highly irresponsible,” he told Samaa TV. “And I am making a very mild statement. Otherwise, one can use much harsher words in response to this.”
“In the caretaker government, the biggest challenge we faced was not only conducting elections but also to the revival of the economy, improvement in financial indicators and achieving our revenue targets,” he continued. “To an extent, we have met [all these objectives]. As a result, the IMF is negotiating with Pakistan positively.”
He said the country was now expecting a $6 billion deal with the international lender and could also get $2 billion more in climate finance deal.
The prime minister noted this was vital for the country’s economic health, adding that the financial plans of the future government also depended heavily on this.
“Whatever your views are regarding the electoral process, there are proper forums to express them,” he continued. “They are not the IMF.”
Kakar said the PTI leadership’s letter had also contradicted its own narrative which required the country not to “surrender” to Western power.
He maintained that Khan’s party had gone against that by seeking external intervention in the country.
However, predicted the letter would not have any major impact on Pakistan, though it would have a political cost for the PTI.
The IMF already refused to comment on the “ongoing political developments” in the country, saying it was willing to work with the new government.
