Says unlike PTI govt, his administration would abide by its commitments with IMF without further burdening masses
\n ISLAMABAD
\nPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that a team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is likely to visit Pakistan for a review within the next two to three days.
\nIn a bid to break a deadlock with the global lender, the prime minister had made a telephonic call to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday, urging her to relax conditions regarding increase in energy prices and imposition of more taxes.
\nAddressing a ceremony here today, PM Shehbaz said he was assured in his recent conversation with the global lender\u2019s managing director for its team\u2019s visit in the next two to three days.
\nReferring to his telephonic interaction, the prime minister assured that, unlike its predecessor, the incumbent government would abide by its commitments with the IMF without further burdening the masses.
\nHowever, he said that he had also sensitised the IMF head over the country\u2019s economic condition adversely affected by the worst floods, making it clear that his government had already taxed the rich but could no more burden the poor.
\nThe IMF chief assured that their team would visit Pakistan for a review within the next few days, the prime minister added.
\nThe telephonic contact was made four days before a face-to-face meeting between the prime minister and the IMF head is expected to take place on the sidelines of the Geneva Conference aimed at seeking relaxations from the global lender.
\nSources told The Express Tribune that the prime minister urged the IMF managing director to review the condition about imposition of new taxes.
\nHe also sought relaxation in the demand to increase electricity prices to compensate for the deviation of around Rs500 billion from the annual circular debt management plan.
\nThese remain the major stumbling blocks in reaching an initial understanding for a staff level visit by the IMF to Pakistan. \u201cHowever, the government stood ready to impose flood levy and windfall income tax on commercial banks,\u201d they added.
\nThere was also a resolve from the Pakistani side to increase the energy prices in the future against any further deviation.
\nIt was unclear whether the IMF MD promised to give any concessions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Says unlike PTI govt, his administration would abide by its commitments with IMF without further burdening masses ISLAMABAD Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that a team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is likely to visit Pakistan for a review within the next two to three days. In a bid to break a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":305930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[186,20,5822],"class_list":{"0":"post-305898","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news","8":"tag-imf","9":"tag-pakistan","10":"tag-pm-shehbaz-sharif"},"yoast_head":"\n