ISLAMABAD: Sen. Syed Ali Zafar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) clarified on Friday that the party wants to “ensure financial discipline, good governance, and economic stability which is critical for the prosperity of the people of Pakistan” by working with the IMF on an ongoing basis.
The PTI leader declared in a statement that the party will always place Pakistan as its top priority.
Zafar’s statement was made the day after Imran Khan, who is currently in jail, declared he would write to the IMF to demand that it stop lending money to Pakistan until the suspected election cheating was thoroughly investigated.
The party received criticism for making the comment at a time when the nation is experiencing a serious economic crisis and the incoming administration is already considering taking on a new IMF program. Experts thought it was a bad idea to write such a letter because it would be worthless and would only burn political capital and further stoke divisions between the PTI and influential stakeholders.
Zafar went on to say that all efforts that are in the “benefit of the country and in national interest” will get the support of the PTI.
The leader of the party also asserted that the PTI “will continue to raise its voice at all forums and expect the international community’s support” and that the party remained committed in its “struggle for democracy”.
“The whole world saw that the peoples’ vote was stolen in Pakistan,” Zafar declared just a day earlier. He emphasized that “democracy cannot run on the mandate of theft” after speaking with Imran in jail. “Lending institutions do not give loans when they see that there is no democracy,” he continued.
During his media appearance, Zafar stated that “our letter will be addressed to the IMF, and if the IMF desires discussion, an audit of election rigging must precede any dialogue,” together with Barrister Gohar, the current PTI chairman. “Wherever rigging is proven, rectification must take place prior to the IMF engagement,” he emphasized.
He reaffirmed, “An audit against rigging is contingent upon our agreement with the IMF.” Zafar responded that he instead agreed with the decision, stating that tying the loan with audit was “a necessary condition,” in response to a query about pushing Imran to reconsider drafting the letter to the IMF because such a step could enhance economic issues.
