'Pakistan should continue to engage with IMF', says PTI's Barrister Ali Zafar

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Syed Ali Zafar clarified on Friday that the party believes in sustained collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to "ensure financial discipline, good governance, and economic stability which is critical for the prosperity of the people of Pakistan". In a statement, the PTI leader said that Pakistan will always remain a top priority for the party. Zafar's comes a day after Imran Khan announced from jail that he would write a letter to the IMF, demanding it to halt the next loan to Pakistan unless there was a thorough probe into the alleged election rigging. The party faced backlash because the statement came when the country is embroiled in a severe economic crisis, and the upcoming government is already eying a new IMF programme. Experts believed that writing such a letter was a terrible idea as it would not have any value but would lead to burning political capital and creating more rifts between the PTI and powerful stakeholders. Zafar further stated that the PTI will endorse all the initiatives that align with the "benefit of the country and in national interest". Furthermore, the party leader maintained that the PTI remained steadfast in its "struggle for democracy" and "will continue to raise its voice at all forums and expect the international community’s support". A day earlier, Zafar said, “The whole world saw that the peoples' vote was stolen in Pakistan.” After meeting with Imran in jail he emphasised that “democracy cannot run on the mandate of theft”. He added that “when lending institutions see that there is no democracy, they do not give loans.” In his media talk, Zafar, accompanied by incumbent PTI chairman Barrister Gohar, said that “our letter will be addressed to the IMF, and if the IMF desires discussion, an audit of election rigging must precede any dialogue.” He stressed, “Where rigging is proven, rectification must occur before the IMF engagement.” Read Gohar warns of IMF programme risk sans Form-45-verified poll results “Our agreement with the IMF is contingent upon an audit against rigging,” he reiterated. In response to a question regarding asking Imran to reconsider writing the letter to the IMF, as such a move could enhance economic crises, Zafar said that he instead agreed with the move, saying linking loan with audit was “a necessary condition”. PTI gets slammed “Imran Khan reportedly plans to write a letter to the IMF demanding it not to fund Pakistan due to election rigging. Such a letter would be disregarded and have no value, but what a terrible idea. Pakistan badly needs a new loan. Not getting one could be catastrophic for the economy.” Michael Kugelman, the director of the South Asia Institute at the Washington DC-based Wilson Centre, stated on X, formerly Twitter. Renowned political expert, Zaigham Khan said that Imran Khan has taken a dangerous decision by deciding to write a letter to the IMF. “The IMF’s new programme is a matter of life and death for Pakistan,” Zaigham said, saying it is the only thing that can stop Pakistan from default at the moment. Without the IMF programme, he said, neither friendly countries nor any global institutions would provide any financial support to Pakistan. He warned that such a situation could lead to a similar situation that Sri Lanka faced a few months ago. Furthermore, PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the PTI has again stooped to its nefarious practices of destabilising the country for its lust for power. The PTI has sent a letter to the IMF urging it to link the release of funds to the audit of the electoral process, Sharjeel said, adding that “it is a shameful act”. The PTI’s demand to freeze the funds for Pakistan means causing economic misery for the people of the country, he said while talking to The Express Tribune. The recent move by the PTI is an eye opener for the people of Pakistan, Sharjeel said and elaborated that the PTI was trying to torment the entire country to get power or to undo the elections.

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