IMF responds over media reports of calling Pakistan Finance Minister Asad Umar as arrogant
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ISLAMABAD – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has responded over the media reports of calling Asad Umar an arrogant person.
IMF denied that it termed Finance Minister Asad Umar as ‘arrogant’, as claimed by a Pakistani journalist this week.
Ihteshamul Haq, an economic analyst for a Lahore-based TV channel, had on Thursday attributed such remarks to IMF’s resident chief in Pakistan on an evening show.
He also claimed the IMF official was of the view that the Pakistani minister was “coming unprepared”, and the “IMF has conveyed this message to the Pakistani authorities”.
However, the IMF resident representative in the country has termed all such reports as untrue. “We have never spoken about Asad Umar in terms like the one suggested in the message,” she concluded.
Last year, an IMF mission led by Harald Finger visited Islamabad from November 7-20, 2018 to initiate discussions on a financial arrangement with the international monatery organisaton requested by the Pakistani authorities to support their economic reform program.
Finance Minister Asad Umar, secretary finance and other key officials represented Islamabad in the meeting.
After the discussions concluded, the Pakistani authorities were of view that harsh conditions of the IMF cannot be accepted.
They said that Pakistan wanted to avail the bailout package on acceptable conditions, while the IMF has reportedly given positive response over it and agreed to continue the talks.
