Proposed SBP bill declared part of IMF agenda

Islamabad : The recent move by the government to make the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) autonomous is part of the IMF agenda being imposed on Pakistan as the decision lacks transparency and goes against national interest.

This was the unanimous view of economic and fiscal policy experts during a webinar titled ‘Understanding State Bank Amendment Bill 2021,’ organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).

The event was chaired by Prof. Dr. Abdul Saboor, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi.

The speakers and discussants included IPS’ Chairman Khalid Rahman, Vice Chairman Ambassador (r) Syed Abrar Hussain, Dr. Shahida Wizarat, Dean, College of Economics and Social Development, Institute of Business Management, Karachi; Dr. Pervez Tahir, former chief economist, Planning Commission; Qanit Khalil, chartered accountant and economic policy analyst; Raja Kamran, a Karachi-based economic journalist and Amanullah Khan, former president, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce & Industry.