Omer
PTI of Imran Khan has written a letter to IMF to remind its promise regarding free polls. It says PDM 2.0 not capable to take much-needed reforms to fix economy.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday announced that PTI has written a letter to International Monitoring Fund (IMF) to remind the financial body its promise of conducting free, fair and transparent polls and added that PTI and its Founding Chairman Imran Khan never wanted to create any obstacle to hurt the country’s economy in any way.
Addressing a press conference along with PTI’s nominee for PM’s slot Omar Ayub Khan, Muzzammil Aslam PTI spokesperson on Economy & Finance, PTI senior leaders including Meher Bano Qureshi, Shandana Gulzar Khan, Raoof Hasan, PTI Chairman said that a letter was sent by PTI Chairman-for-life Imran Khan to the IMF through the IMF’s Resident Representative in Pakistan.
He said that PTI and PTI Founding Chairman did not want to harm Pakistan’s economy in any way; however they just wanted to remind the fund its promise pertaining to holding transparent elections in the country.
“We will have to battle to make Pakistan a truly independent country, as people have expressed their confidence in Imran Khan and other leaders under the slogan of ‘slavery unacceptable’,” he added.
Gohar stated that those who were hell-bent to form government did not have a public mandate but a stolen mandate, adding that they were not the elected representatives of the people; hence they could not have the passion, honesty and dedication to take this country forward.
“Our country is facing numerous challenges be it political or economic and PTI wanted Pakistan to develop by moving forward according to the vision of Imran Khan,” he maintained.
He stated that there were talks about IMF program and a letter to the financial body; therefore they wanted to make it clear that PTI would make every possible effort for development and progress of Pakistan in the light of the vision of Imran Khan, but at the same time they would not allow anyone unnecessary burden the people.
PTI Chairman made it clear that only PTI Chairman-for-life Imran Khan like visionary leader could wade the country through the critical situation.
Speaking on the occasion, Muzzammil Aslam Pakistan has so far secured 24 programs of the IMF out of which the first program was taken in 1958. He said that the PML-N and People’s Party governments only completed one program out of total 14 programs.
He said that the biggest IMF program in the history of Pakistan was taken by the PML-N in 2008 which was worth $10 billion.
Muzzammil recalled that after coming to government in 2018, PTI was criticized for not taking the IMF programme, as Imran Khan tried to get $10 billion from the world in 10 months and after that he took a program of $6.5 billion after relaxing the conditions of the IMF, adding that on February 5, 2022, the IMF gave an instalment of $1.25 billion to PTI, after which a no-confidence motion was brought a month later.
He said that Ishaq Dar could not complete a single review of the IMF during the 10 months from October to August. “In June 2023, IMF contacted PTI while at that time we were neither in the National Assembly nor in the Provincial Assembly. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the IMF said that the Board of Directors wants to take the approval of Imran Khan and PTI for the program,” he added.
He said that in the meeting held at Zaman Park, IMF said that if they did not give this program, then Pakistan could face bankruptcy, adding that the board of directors conditioned the program with PTI’s prior consent, then Imran Khan gave approval for the IMF program despite the fact that about 200 false cases were registered against him.
“As per the details, IMF program will cover 9 months out of which the first part will be given to the PDM, the second part will be given to the caretaker government and the third part will be given to the newly elected government,” he added. PTI leader stated that the government had assured that elections would be held in November and the IMF promised that the final installment would be given to the newly elected government came into being as a result of free and transparent elections.
Muzzammil Aslam revealed that in November, IMF once again contacted PTI and expressed its desire to meet Imran Khan and the leadership; however it was not possible because PTI Founding Chairman and other leaders were incarcerated, adding that the review was completed on November 15, but the board of directors made the release of another instalment conditional on a meeting with PTI leadership, resultantly Barrister Gohar met them and the fund was released on January 11.
“The IMF had said that for the third tranche, negotiations would be held only with the government with a public mandate and we want to remind the IMF of the same promise,” Muzzammil Aslam added.
Speaking on the occasion, Omar Ayub said that PTI never created any obstacle to put a stop on the economic wheel of the country rather always extending all-out support to resolve the country economic issues because they were patriotic people.
He said that during meeting with the IFM team, Imran Khan was given assurance of holding free, fair and transparent elections in lieu of supporting the financial program. However, Omar Ayub lamented that the most rigged polls were held on February 8, as public mandate was stolen in the dark of the night to fraudulently impose the PDM-2 on the nation once again.
PTI Secretary General made it clear that only a government with public mandate could steer the country out of prevailing challenges, as the public-reject clique of PDM-2 neither had the mandate nor the vision to put the country on the path of progress and prosperity.
Omar Ayub Khan said that PTI Founding chairman Imran Khan did not want to create any obstacle to put a stop on the economic wheel of Pakistan.
“The IMF had set a condition for free and transparent elections, but the current general elections were the most rigged elections in the history of the country,” he added. Omer Ayub stated that the “PDM 2.0” was incapable of taking reforms needed to fix Pakistan’s economy.
“It is important to understand why we go to the IMF, for balance of payments support and reform agenda but only a strong and fair government can reform Pakistan, not a corrupt government or PDM 2.0. “The PPP and PML-N cannot do any reform process,” he added.
Omar Ayub alarmed that people of Pakistan had to bear the brunt of the government’s lavish spending, as Pakistan’s economy could only be strengthened by an elected government and not a weak and corrupt government like PDM-2 which stole the public mandate because they could not use the public money in a proper and transparent manner.
PT General Secretary made it clear that PTI wanted that the money received from IMF should be spent on the welfare of the people of the country.
He stated that PTI would stage a nationwide peaceful protest against the mother of all election rigging on March 2 (Saturday).
“We demand that the two organizations of Pakistan, Fafan and Patan to audit the election in order to bring the truth before the nation as how the election was rigged,” he stressed.
Omar recalled that the country’s economic was thriving fast with 6 percent growth rate during PTI’s regime as it was nosedived after regime change conspiracy and the gangs of PDM reduced the economic growth to zero, as they ruined the all sectors during its 16 months government.
He stressed that the purpose of IMF program was to revive the country’s economy not to further burden the already inflation-ridden and poverty-stricken masses.
About PTI’s intra-party elections, Omar urged that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should adopt the same benchmark for other political parties especially the PML-N. PAK DESTINY
