Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan, has asked the International Monetary Fund for a “guarantee” that the nation’s general elections would go place as planned.
A delegation from the international lender met Khan on Friday in Lahore to seek assurance and support for the main goals and policies under the recently announced USD 3 billion bailout programme, according to a report on Saturday by Geo News channel. This meeting was to review and possibly approve the Standby Arrangement (SBA) for Pakistan.
After months of talks that almost brought Pakistan to the point of default, the IMF and Pakistan finally secured a long-awaited staff-level agreement on June 29 to infuse USD 3 billion Standby Arrangement into the struggling economy. On July 12, the IMF’s Executive Board will meet to discuss the SBA for Pakistan.
According to sources cited by Geo News, Khan requested the IMF to make sure that the general elections, which are slated for October, would be conducted on time.
The leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was heard asking in the huddle, “What assurance can you (IMF) provide that the elections in the nation would be conducted on time.
According to sources, the IMF officials said that they closely monitor the situation in the nation but “we cannot interfere too much in internal political matters.”
The newspaper cited sources when it claimed that the IMF delegation said that the short-term rescue package has been designed in such a manner that it is anticipated that the change of power would occur on schedule.
The IMF officials expressed optimism that the temporary government will organize general elections in the nation within the legally required time frame, the sources said.
Nathan Porter, the IMF’s country leader, joined the conference electronically from Washington, while Ester Perez Luis, the resident representative, was also there in person.
The IMF conference has drawn scrutiny in Pakistan, where some politicians have accused it of meddling in the nation’s internal affairs.
In contrast, the discussions with political parties were to “seek assurances of their support for the key objectives and policies under a new IMF-supported programme ahead of the approaching national elections,” according to a statement from Esther Perez Ruiz, the IMF’s resident representative.