Handful of miscreants bent upon sabotaging Pakistan-IMF deal: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar said on Friday that a handful of miscreants associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were bent upon sabotaging Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that was crucial for economic stability.

“In a bid to disrupt Pakistan’s ongoing talks with IMF, some miscreants protested in front of IMF and World Bank offices in United States and indulged in sloganeering against Pakistan Army,” he said while addressing a news conference.

The protestors belonging to the PTI were urging the IMF to give funds to Pakistan only if their jailed leader was released, he said, regretting that “activists of an anti-national party” continued to hold sit-in and protest outside the IMF office, the official news agency reported.

“This is a fashionable crowd and these are the enemies of Pakistan who are left with no love for the country,” the minister said while paying tributes to the overseas Pakistanis who were sending their hard-earned money to the country by doing white and blue collar jobs abroad.

He said these people were protesting to stop funding to the people of Pakistan while wearing costly branded shoes and carrying branded bags.

They only wanted to sabotage the IMF deal because their dream was to make Pakistan default but Inshallah, Pakistan would make progress and the growth rate would increase soon.

The heinous conspiracies of anti-national elements would not have any effect on the IMF deal, the minister said emphatically, adding that the imprisoned PTI founder chairman was involved in Toshakhana fraud, 190 million pound scam and cipher case.

He advised the PTI to approach courts of Pakistan for release of Imran Khan as the IMF and World Bank had nothing to do with his cases.

Tarar said that the country was stable today with the sacrifices of martyrs, Ghazis and efforts of patriotic political leaders.

Allah Almighty has always protected Pakistan from external and internal threats and the talks with the IMF were going on positively, which was also reflected by the trends in the stock exchange, he added.

“We have been voted by the people to solve the problems in the country, not to increase them,” he maintained.

He said under the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, efforts would be made to make the country prosperous through hard work.

The prime minister, he added, had given a comprehensive agenda on economic reforms including restructuring FBR, increasing tax network and reducing government expenditure.

He said since Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took over the power, the economic situation has started improving.

Tarar said that the prime minister wanted an early solution to the country’s problems and had been pursuing the vision to put the country on path of progress and prosperity.

He said that international organisations like Bloomberg were hailing the appointment of Muhammad Aurangzeb as the finance minister of the country as he had command over economic affairs.

The minister said that unfortunately an anti-national party involved in the May 9 incidents was conspiring and working against the interests of Pakistan.

He said that the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz faced imprisonment due to fake cases but it never compromised on honour and dignity of the country.

Tarar urged the youth to side with Pakistan instead of any political party, adding: “This is the mission of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and we will be moving forward with the same spirit.”

To a query, he said the PTI would be requested in the dialogues to refrain from taking any such initiatives that undermined economy or the country.