Shehbaz Sharif’s government has planned to put more burden on the people if there is no agreement with the IMF. Minister of State for Finance Ayesha Ghos Pasha has said that if there is no agreement with the IMF, the electricity and gas tariffs will be increased.
According to the details, the federal government has planned to make electricity and gas more expensive in case of no agreement with the IMF.
In a special conversation with the media in Islamabad, Ayesha Ghos Pasha said that as an economist, we always work on other options, if the IMF agreement is not reached, the electricity and gas tariffs will be increased.
Minister of State Ayesha Ghos Pasha said that for structural reforms, the revolving debt of gas and power sector is to be reduced, and there is no intention to establish foreign currency accounts in the country.
Ayesha Ghos Pasha said that no proposal to freeze foreign currency accounts is under consideration.
He said that the budget data has been shared with the IMF, and negotiations are also going on with the State Bank of the IMF.
The Minister of State for Finance said that the IMF has been asked to complete the ninth review soon, the time to complete the ninth review is very short and it is also a problem for us.
Ayesha Ghos Pasha said that MDIMF had assured us that the ninth review will be completed soon, all our friendly countries have assured funds to IMF.
In response to a question, Ayesha Ghos Pasha said that the IMF will not object to whatever tax exemptions have been given in the budget, we have to give tax exemptions to advance the economy.
The Minister of State said that tax measures have to be taken to increase production and create jobs, the IMF also wants to increase production and get employment for the people.
He said that pension reforms are inevitable, many trillions of rupees go towards pension, a plan of action has to be decided to solve the pension problem.
The Minister of State for Finance said that there must be a ninth review of the IMF and the IMF also knows how many steps we have taken.