Iqbal seeks role in IMF talks

While addressing a press conference, the minister also urged Jamaat-e-Islami, farmers, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the defunct Awami Action Committee to cancel their rally towards Islamabad and said that the consequent political instability would serve India's agenda."I have recommended to the prime minister that a representative of the Planning Commission should also be included in the team that will negotiate with the IMF," said Iqbal while responding to a question.Pakistan-IMF….

A successful completion of the review will lead to the release of the fifth loan tranche of $1 billion under the Extended Fund Facility and another $210 million under the climate support facility.The planning minister said that the IMF programme was not just about numbers but it would have implications for economic growth, development and people.

The statement underscores the strong role of the finance ministry in the IMF programme, which has resulted in criticism from government circles and independent experts about viewing the financing facility only in relation to fiscal numbers.The finance ministry has kept a tight control over the programme design and negotiations, which caused problems such as commitments about the agriculture sector and focusing too much on fiscal stabilisation.The finance ministry has made….

As a result, the government has managed to improve fiscal numbers but it fueled inflation, unemployment, poverty and low economic growth.To a question about when the prolonged economic stabilisation would end, the planning minister said that it would depend on both the positive sentiment and domestic economic structure.

The government is in the fifth year of economic stabilisation, which has caused immense pain to the common man.But the minister hoped that Pakistan may achieve over 4% economic growth in the next fiscal year, ending the low growth cycle.Responding to a question about whether the government was facing any threat because of the upcoming four major protest movements, Iqbal labeled such agitation as fulfilling India's agenda under its Operation….

He urged all political movements not to indirectly support the Indian agenda.Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday began its march towards Islamabad against the unjustified petroleum prices.

AJK's defunct Awami Action Committee has also planned to march towards Islamabad while farmers have threatened to start the march on September 25 against the government's "anti-farmer" policies.

The PTI has announced plans for a long march from September 27.To a question, Ahsan Iqbal said that JI's demand to reduce fuel prices was not justified as the prices were driven by international events.

When he was told how India and Bangladesh were managing low fuel prices despite the Middle East conflict, the minister said that India had large buffers to absorb such shocks while the Bangladesh state-owned company took a hit.Iqbal said that the federal government could not meet JI's demand for interest rate reduction by 2% as the monetary policy was set by the central bank.

He was hopeful about finding a solution, saying that the government was still engaged with JI and its demands would again be presented to the PM on his return from a 10-day foreign visit.The minister said that PTI's youth should ask its leadership why it did not deposit 190 million pound sterling in the national kitty instead of giving it to the owner of Bahria Town projects.

A money laundering case should be registered against Imran Khan, said the planning minister.Iqbal stressed that Pakistan's political disputes should be resolved through constitutional and democratic institutions, adding that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had pursued its political and legal cases in parliament and courts and it never conspired against Pakistan.He added that no one would be allowed to play with Pakistan's future and emphasised that instability and disorder could undermine….

By adopting a rationalisation policy, Pakistan can achieve a net benefit of $21 billion against the requirement of $27 billion, which can be used for repaying the rollover amount in one year.