Lahore: PTI leader Hammad Azhar said that an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team visited his party’s Chief Imran Khan at his residence in Lahore where two sides discussed recent staff-level pact agreed between Pakistan and global lender for disbursement of $ 3 billion under standby arrangement. Azhar’s confirmation of meeting between PTI leadership and IMF team came after lender said earlier today that it was in process of meeting major political parties in Pakistan to seek assurances of their support for key objective of new deal. Separately, Imran had also said that he would be meeting an IMF delegation.

He revealed this during court hearing pertaining to May 9 riots in Lahore. Upon being asked to join investigation in case at 4pm today, Imran Khan had said he was unavailable to join probe as he was scheduled to meet with delegation from IMF. Sharing further details of exchange, former Minister said IMF resident representative for Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz visited Zaman Park for meeting while IMF mission Chief for Pakistan Nathan Porter joined virtually from Washington.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Shaukat Tarin, Omar Ayub Khan, Sania Nishtar, Shibli Faraz, Taimur Jhagra and Muzammil Aslam attended meeting lasted for more than an hour. “Discussions took place around staff-level agreement that IMF has reached with government for nine-month $ 3 billion standby arrangement and in this context, we support overall objectives and key policies”, PTI leader said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, July, 08 2023

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