Pakistan-IMF agreement deals blow to opponents: Khawaja Asif
Pakistan
Says it provides a window to address economic ailments
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The signing of the staff-level agreement under a stand-by arrangement had dashed the wishes of many “well-wishers”, said Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday.
Although the defence minister didn’t name any, he was apparently referring to the PTI and also some critics within the ruling PML-N, including Miftah Ismail, who has been openly blasting Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for his policies.
In a tweet posted in Urdu, Khawaja Asif said the deal had been sealed despite all the fears, for which, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dar and all the other team members deserved credit.
الحمد للہ IMF کا معاہدہ تمام تر خدشات کے باوجود مکمل ھوا. وزیراعظم وزیر خزانہ اور ٹیم کے تمام اراکین مبارکباد کے مستحق ھیں. بہت سے "خیر خواہوں" کی امیدوں پہ پانی پھر گیا ھےجنمیں دوست دشمن بھی شامل تھے.
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) June 30, 2023
اللہ کرے تمام پاکستانی جنکو ٹیکس ادا کرنا چاہئیے ٹیکس اداکریں. ٹیکس چوری…
However, he made it clear that the IMF agreement only provided some time to get rid of the “economic ailments”, as “the comprehensive treatment is to be conducted by us”.
About generating the country’s own resources and widening the tax net, the seasoned political leader expressed his wish that all those Pakistanis, who should pay their taxes, would start doing so.
Describing tax theft as the worst animosity towards Pakistan, he said it was tantamount to economic murder of the poor, while also hoping that practices like bribery and plundering the national assets would also come to an end.
He also prayed that may Allah bestow the elite, taking advantage of all the favour, with the love for the country and enable them understand the problems of ordinary Pakistanis.
