Govt seeking IMF package due to damage to economy in past years: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday said that the present government is seeking an IMF package because of the damage inflicted to the economy over the last ten years.

According to ARY News, the foreign minister was winding up debate on an adjournment motion in the Senate today.

He said that friendly countries including Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates extended the much needed balance of payment support but the gap was so huge that we have to go to the IMF for an economic package.

Foreign Minister Qureshi stated that there is no threat to the country’s nuclear programme and multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, Radio Pakistan said in its report.

The foreign minister also dispelled the impression that the country is heading towards One Unit or a Presidential system of governance.

Qureshi said that announcing National Finance Awards every five years is a constitutional obligation and this government will fulfill it. He regretted that the PML-N government failed to fulfill this constitutional requirement in its five year tenure.

The president constituted the 9th NFC award but despite repeated requests by the former finance minister Asad Umer, the provincial governments delayed the process of nominating their representatives for the NFC award.