Pakistan & IMF

 (Jtndikhan Report)

Postponement of  6 billion Dollars Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Pakistan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a few months on the grounds that its staff is not satisfied with the implementation of the loan terms, where the country's economy The government and the opposition have been blaming each other there and this has led to further escalation of political tensions. Representatives of Pakistan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were reviewing the lower-level agreement on the IMF loan for the sixth time, failing to reach a consensus, so further discussions on the issue were adjourned until September.

Top government sources have confirmed that the IMF board was due to approve the sixth review by July this year, but as disagreements did not abate, it was decided to postpone the review until September. When asked in writing about this, the Resident Chief of the IMF in Pakistan said that we have achieved sustainable development and stability through the implementation of policies, structural reforms and increase in social spending under the EFF program. We are ready to continue helping Pakistan to get loans for this purpose.

According to observers, his response indicated that since the sixth review under the EFF could not be completed, the IMF has decided to adopt a "watch and wait" policy to find out. How much the government can 'deliver' on its announced budget for 2021-22. The opposition camp has drawn its conclusions after the meeting of Pakistan and IMF representatives was inconclusive.

Former Finance Minister Muftah Ismail has claimed in a press conference that the IMF has withheld funds from Pakistan and the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have also stopped lending. He said that the government was trying to persuade the IMF through the United States which would not be good for the nation. He was referring to strategic issues between Pakistan and the United States. He stressed that strategic issues should not be included in economic affairs. Rejecting the former finance minister's statement, the finance ministry spokesman said in a statement that the IMF's program was intact and that its new mission was expected to arrive in Pakistan in August to review its performance throughout the year.

The spokesperson also said that Pakistan has achieved all the targets of the IMF by March which is the best performance. The World Bank has not stopped lending either. It has already approved a large loan. Regardless of the political rhetoric of the government and the opposition, there is no doubt that the government is taking all necessary steps for economic recovery in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

This includes obtaining foreign loans, but it should be noted that friendly countries or international institutions do not provide unconditional loans. They definitely get something in return. The IMF is a powerful institution under the influence of the United States. He is notorious for imposing arbitrary conditions to keep developing countries like Pakistan in his sphere of influence. The government should try not to accept any of its conditions contrary to the national interest and give priority to the national interest while meeting its requirements for economic reforms.

Also Read :-----> Exclusive Reports, Blogs, Analysis and Articles

Correct change in Afghan policy

(jtndikhan especial report)

Prime Minister Imran Khan's announcement that his government has changed its policy of strategic depth in Afghanistan is undoubtedly a fulfillment of an unavoidable need of the times. He rightly called for political reconciliation before the withdrawal of US troops, pointing to the fact that if a civil war broke out in a neighboring country, Pakistan would be the second most affected after Afghanistan. His analysis seems to be correct in the context of the recent past.

The neighbor that has been most affected by Afghanistan's four decades of external aggression is certainly Pakistan. The main reason for this is that the two brotherly Muslim countries are interconnected in terms of geography, history, beliefs, language and civilization. That is why after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, when the flood of refugees turned to Pakistan, they were greeted with fraternal generosity. Pakistan openly supported the Afghan resistance against the Soviet military intervention and called on jihads organizations. Keep in touch. After the military withdrawal of the Soviet Union, the power struggle between the jihads organizations started.

When the Pakistani institutions sided with the organizations of their choice instead of neutrality, anti-Pakistan sentiments arose in other groups. When the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its confrontation with jihadi groups and formed its own government, Pakistan cooperated fully with it, as a result of which Afghanistan and Pakistan became practically one and the same. Our state institutions called this situation a strategic depth for Pakistan, but Pakistan's distance from anti-Taliban Afghan groups continued to grow.

After 9/11, when the nuclear situation changed dramatically, the negative effects of this tactical depth strategy became apparent and Pakistan faced the worst of terrorism. Anti-Taliban governments were formed in Kabul and they were generally concerned about Pakistan. However, as a result of the Taliban's fierce resistance to external aggression, when the need for peace talks between the United States and the Taliban was felt, it was necessary to bring the Taliban from Pakistan to the negotiating table.

The desire to use its influence was expressed and Pakistan did its utmost for the sake of peace and stability in the region. Negotiations were successful and the withdrawal of US troops began, set for September 11 this year, but before that there was a consensus between the Taliban and groups in the current Afghan government on the future political system of Afghanistan. The process was to be finalized, but no significant progress has been made so far, raising fears of another civil war in Afghanistan. In his latest remarks, Prime Minister Imran Khan pointed out the same threat and announced that Pakistan had abandoned its years-old strategic depth strategy and decided to remain neutral among Afghan groups, believing that it belonged to the Afghan people.

They have the right to form their own government in their own country. The Prime Minister has vowed to make every effort to reach an inter-Afghan reconciliation before the US withdrawal. In fact, this is the time needed and the United States, Pakistan and all other relevant powers must ensure it, otherwise the entire region will become the target of the worst civil war and instability.

 Also Read :-----> Exclusive Reports, Blogs, Analysis and Articles