IMF aware of the fact: King of U-turns is bent on ruining country, says PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday said the former premier, who is the king of u-turns, was bent upon ruining the country financially and the IMF was also aware of the fact.

Speaking at the special session of the Senate, Shehbaz said the IMF had not pointed towards political instability in Pakistan during the talks. “But they are not blind and are seeing what is happening,” he added.

The PM linked the economic stability with political stability and insisted economic stability without political stability would remain a pipe dream.

He said the government had not shied away from taking tough decisions and decided to save the country at the cost of ruling parties’ political interests. “Pakistan came into existence after great sacrifices; it will definitely regain its lost place in the world. We will not allow anyone to spoil the country’s situation, the IMF programme is expected to happen soon but it is not a permanent solution,” he made it clear.

He explained, “We took over at a time when the country’s economy was facing very difficult challenges.” The previous PTI government negotiated and signed an agreement with the IMF, but it did not adhere to it, the premier said, blaming the Imran Khan government for the current economic situation.

However, he conceded that bold decisions taken by his government led to inflation and tough conditions for the common man in the country, but he was optimistic about good days ahead. “There is always light at the end of the tunnel provided you are committed to your cause.”

He regretted that the terms and conditions of the IMF were not respected by the PTI government and rather flouted, which damaged Pakistan’s image, trust and confidence, not only in the eyes of the Fund but all over bilateral and multilateral institutions.

Defending the ruling coalition government, he said, “We took over through a constitutional instrument. We had two choices - one to dole out funds like the previous regime leaving nothing in the kitty and offering unaccounted and unbudgeted subsidies, and the other path was showing highest level of responsibility, maturity and statesmanship”.

He squarely held the PTI responsible for the delay in signing of staff level agreement with the IMF even after acceptance of all tough and bitter conditions while the “PTI is making all attempts to destroy the entire system in the country”.

One of the reasons behind the delay in the IMF agreement, he explained, was that at the time of previous reviews, certain friendly countries had made commitments to bilaterally support Pakistan. But IMF is now asking that they should actually complete and materialise those commitments.

He stressed the need to learn lessons from the past mistakes. “We are all human beings and are prone to making mistakes. We are not angels.” He added the political leadership in the past used to sit together in the larger national interest, setting aside political differences, but the situation was different today.

The PM contended that a national leader did not have ego, arrogance and anger. He urged national unity among the political leadership to address the country’s challenges, calling upon all the political leadership to sit together to get the country out of the challenges facing the country.

Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman emphasised the importance of upholding Pakistan’s Constitution and democratic principles and said the Constitution has been the very rope that has bound this country together in moments of deep crisis.

“It is important for us to understand that the Senate represents all the provinces in equal proportions, so the principle of equality is ingrained in this particular house. Even if the Parliament and the Senate is afflicted by political division, it is better served by its opposition being on its benches. That is the power and spirit of democracy to find space for the opposition, not just physically but also to talk, to build bridges, and to create some level of momentum for the beliefs and the core values that we speak about,” she noted.

Senator Rehman said, “When we talk of upholding the Constitution, we must not forget that this means all of the Constitution. If it means elections on time, it means elections on time, and if it means we give space to the opposition, then we give space to the opposition, but the law must be uniform for everyone. We must remember with great humility that no one is above the law and the Constitution, and no one must act against the state and the courts.”

Even when the court orders were not in favour, she pointed out, from president Zardari to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, everybody bowed before the courts. She claimed President Asif Zardari was in jail for 12 years, and the last time the police came to pick him up at Zardari House, “we were instructed to give the police tea and cookies. One day before Eid, Faryal Talpur was taken to jail at midnight in one of those armoured vehicles like a terrorist from the hospital while she was diabetic and under treatment”.

She urged political leaders to work together to strengthen Pakistan’s democracy, saying, “It is for us as legislators and political leaders to prove our mettle and to bring the spirit of accountability, governance and unity through these houses that countries in our condition need.”