The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has trashed speculations that theglobal lender had attached any conditions to Pakistan’s missile or nuclearprogramme as part of the ninth review of the IMF-supported $7 billion loanprogramme.
The IMF statement coincided with remarks of Commander of US Central Command(CENTCOM) General Michael E Kurilla during a testimony before the US SenateArms Services Committee in which expressed satisfaction regarding Pakistannuclear security procedures.
Stating that there was “absolutely no truth” to any such insinuations, IMFResident Representative Esther Perez Luiz declared that discussions withthe Pakistani authorities have exclusively focused on economic policies toaddress the country’s economic and balance of payments issues which were asper the Fund’s mandate.
The IMF official said there had never been any talk on Pakistan’s nuclearassets. “Nothing was discussed in the past not is was on the table now,”the official added.
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Perez Luiz outrightly denied speculations that the lender has put pressureon Pakistan’s nuclear programmelinkduringthe talks for the ninth review under IMF-supported programme. “Ourdiscussions have exclusively focused on economic policies to solvePakistan’s economic and balance of payments problems, in line with theIMF’s mandate for promoting macroeconomic and financial stability,” thestatement added.
Earlier on March 17, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry hadalleged that the IMF had asked Pakistan to halt its long-range missileprogramme.