An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team paid a visit to the Zaman Park residence of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan in Lahore. The meeting, which lasted over an hour, focused on the recent staff-level agreement between Pakistan and the global lending organization. During the discussions, Khan expressed his full support for the agreement.
PTI’s Endorsement of Standby Arrangement
Imran Khan, addressing the IMF team via a video link, announced that his political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had agreed to endorse the standby arrangement with the IMF. This endorsement will remain in effect until elections are held and a new government is formed. Khan further emphasized that future negotiations with the IMF would be conducted by the new government based on their own program.
Key Meetings with PTI Members
In addition to Imran Khan, the IMF team held meetings with several other PTI members, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Shaukat Tarin, Omar Ayub Khan, Sania Nishtar, Shibli Faraz, Taimur Jhagra, and Muzammil Aslam. These discussions aimed to gather support and insights from the PTI regarding the objectives and policies of the new IMF-supported program, particularly in light of the upcoming national elections.
Seeking Support from Other Political Parties
The IMF’s resident representative, Esther Perez Ruiz, stated that the meetings with various political parties were intended to secure their assurances of support for the key objectives and policies outlined in the new IMF-supported program ahead of the approaching national elections. Alongside the PTI, the IMF is also seeking support from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
