Khan derailing his own IMF programme: PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: In the latest move of the blame game between the federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused PTI Chairman Imran Khan of "derailing his own IMF [International Monetary Fund] programme".

During Khan's stay in power, the government signed a $6.5 billion loan agreement with the Washington-based lender. 

However, the Imran-led administration went back on several promises it had made with the IMF to secure the funding — a major breach coming in the form of a massive fuel subsidy Khan gave soon before he was ousted in April 2022.

The coalition government has repeatedly censured the PTI of "deliberately" trying to throw the IMF programme off route through their manoeuvres — including PTI leader Shaukat Tarin allegedly directing the former finance ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab not to follow up on the IMF deal last year in a leaked audio recording of their conversation.

The persistent political turmoil has also sent jitters across the markets as the PTI has been on the streets since its ouster.

Moreover, it also dissolved the KP and Punjab assemblies to turn up the heat on the government for early polls, which further wrecked the crippled economy of the country.

With an uphill task on the economic front, the government is desperately trying to convince the lender of the last resort for releasing a more than $1 billion loan tranche to avert a default.

In light of the challenges, the prime minister said the PTI chief's agenda includes spreading "anarchy and chaos" on the streets of the country — which will ultimately lead to "instability".

"He does not want the poor people to get relief from inflation and economic pressures," the prime minister said, berating Khan for creating hindrances in Pakistan's road to stability.

The economy's deterioration has also led to the rupee's historic devaluation and the foreign exchange reserves have fallen to just above $4 billion — enough for around a month's imports.

'Running away from courts'

The prime minister further lambasted Khan for "running away" from the courts and said that Khan was evading the judges as he is well aware that he is a "criminal".

The PM termed Khan's running away from courts the "height of cowardice" and said: "First, he ran away from the IMF programme and now he is running away from the courts."

The ex-premier is embroiled in legal battles in a variety of charges ranging from prohibited funding, sedition, and terror charges in a number of courts — from lower courts to the Supreme Court — and has denied any wrongdoing.

The PTI chief, who remained in power for nearly four years, claimed recently that 76 cases have been registered against him; however, The News' investigation showed that he faces less than 40.

PM Shehbaz added that during PTI's tenure, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif faced one of the "worst revenge" of the NAB-Niazi nexus.