Pakistan, which was deeply relieved by the partial IMF bailout, also blushed after the IMF held an unprecedented meeting with the agencies, which many saw as direct interference in its internal affairs.
Post Date – 11:50 PM, Wednesday – July 12
Islamabad: Pakistan welcomes the partial IMF bailout with deep relief, but also blushes after the IMF held an unprecedented meeting with institutions and political stakeholders as many see it Direct interference in internal affairs.
The consulted parties refrained from their usual anti-Western tirade, but parts of the media questioned the attack on national sovereignty. Some see it as a measure by the IMF, like any lender, to ensure its money is spent appropriately. The political rift ensued after IMF officials formally consulted via virtual meeting whether former Prime Minister Imran Khan had reasonably asked them to guarantee early elections in the country.
Media reports said the consultation restored Khan’s public image as a pugnacious critic who had revived fears of physical attacks on him and/or his party, which had been severely weakened by exodus of party members, and was canceled Eligibility for election. Everyone agrees that bailouts are only temporary relief and do not guarantee economic stability and, more importantly, political stability.
Pakistan remains under severe economic pressure as austerity in terms of inflationary trends has eased, but widespread shortages of basic commodities, employment, industrial closures and the withdrawal of foreign companies have not been affected. An editorial in the Urdu-language newspaper Jasarat (July 10) lamented that Pakistan will have to repay $23 billion in foreign debt next year, compared with an upcoming $3 billion bailout.
The yet-to-be-implemented bailout may itself be phased in, with political strings attached. Asima S. wrote in Awami Awaz (July 5), another Urdu daily, that Shebaz Sharif’s government may only get $1 billion and the second billion may go to the caretaker government. Other media have speculated whether this was promised to Imran Khan, who has campaigned relentlessly in the US media and lobbied with the Joe Biden administration.
On 10 July, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said it was time for the caretaker government to dissolve the provincial governments. But the fate of the caretaker government itself is a matter of serious speculation. It will depend on how the military establishment handles Khan, who is believed to have retained his popularity, although it has not been tested since his party collapsed in the past two months. The army fought back against the rebellious Khan after Khan’s supporters broke out in violence and arson at the military facility on May 9.
It also ignored Khan’s settlement offer. It has regained or maintained its primacy in the current discourse in the public eye. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Asim Munir, speaking at the Green Pakistan Initiative meeting on July 10, stressed the military’s readiness to participate in the economic recovery, but made no mention of the political process that Khan continued to demand or elections. According to media reports, Munir’s speech was praised by Prime Minister Sharif, and representatives of several potential investors in the Pakistani economy were present.
If the military establishment so desires, the life of the caretaker government can be extended if necessary by amending the constitution. This is possible when the pliable Sharif government is in power and the National Assembly’s term is over. In this context, the two main ruling parties, the PPP and PML-N, are both looking to push their favorites to a caretaker government, while PDM convener Maulana Fazlur Rahman ) protests were excluded from the political camp, not surprisingly. last week in Dubai.
Analysts said the IMF consulted with Khan as a public reassurance that it wanted a level playing field politically as former prime minister Nawaz Sharif prepares to end his exile in London. Also, it is bound to consult the military leadership, but not publicly, because the reality shows that the military is the main driver of Pakistani affairs.
