Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan confirmed on Friday that he wrote a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), requesting an audit of the February 8 election results in Pakistan before approving any new loan for Islamabad. Khan expressed concerns about the impact of additional loans on the country’s debt and poverty levels.
Key Points:
1. Imran Khan confirmed writing a letter to the IMF, urging an audit of the election results before approving a new loan for Pakistan.
2. PTI senator Ali Zafar had earlier mentioned Khan’s decision to write to the IMF, emphasizing the need for an election audit.
3. Khan expressed concerns that obtaining a loan in the current situation would exacerbate the country’s debt, raising questions about repayment.
4. The IMF, however, reportedly expressed willingness to work with the new Pakistani government, seemingly ignoring the demand for an audit.
5. Former finance minister Ishaq Dar, a PML-N leader, criticized Khan’s letter, deeming it insignificant and condemning the move for personal gain.
6. Last year, Pakistan secured a short-term USD 3 billion program from the IMF, preventing a sovereign debt default, which is set to expire soon.
7. Protests have erupted nationwide following a coalition agreement between PML-N, PPP, and allies, with the PTI and other parties rejecting the election results.
8. The PTI advocates for election results based on Form 45 (individual polling stations) instead of Form 47 (constituency-level results), alleging vote rigging.
The controversy surrounding the election results and the call for an audit underscore the political tensions and challenges in Pakistan’s current political landscape. The IMF’s response to the request for an audit will be closely monitored amid the country’s economic concerns.
