PM Shehbaz Sharif credits ‘friendly nations’ for securing IMF deal

Prime Minister (PM) Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif has acknowledged the efforts of friendly countries for facilitating Pakistan in securing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme.

Speaking to young parliamentarians of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), he lauded the efforts of China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, the Army Chief and the incumbent government’s economic plan team.

PM Sharif said that he hoped the upcoming IMF programme would be the last.

He clarified that there will be no tolerance for tax evasion and stressed extending tax collection.

Journalist Fakhar Durrani revealed in Talk SHOCK, a YouTube channel, that the IMF demanded two things from the Pakistan government before approving a seven-billion-dollar loan.

He claimed that the first demand was a two billion dollars guarantee, which the government fulfilled by securing it from Standard Chartered Bank; the second demand was also fulfilled by securing a guarantee from Saudi Arabia on the deferred oil payment.