Ishaq Dar orders devising roadmap to curb cross-border smuggling

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday asked the relevant authorities to devise a robust and proactive roadmap to curb cross-border smuggling.

Ishaq Dar chaired an inter-ministerial meeting in Islamabad to review the economic situation, and the current mechanism of foreign currency and wheat and urea smuggling.

He stressed coordination amongst all necessary platforms to curb cross-border smuggling, Radio Pakistan reported.

The meeting discussed measures to strengthen the anti-smuggling regime.

READ: FINANCE MINISTRY DENIES IMPOSITION OF ‘ECONOMIC EMERGENCY’ IN PAKISTAN

The meeting was attended by Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar; Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Finance, Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue, Tariq Pasha, Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Secretaries y Finance and Interior, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, DG FIA, DG I&I Customs. Senior officers from the finance division and intelligence agencies also participated in the meeting.

‘Default risk’

Earlier on Wednesday, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar rejected the rumours and said that Pakistan is not facing the default risk.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar criticised that spreading rumours are not in national interests. He clarified that Pakistan is not facing default risk. He said in a statement that meetings are part of political process, however, flexibility was not shown from the other side.

Dar said that Imran Khan is free to go out of the assemblies, however, negotiations could not be held on conditions. He admitted that political stability is important for political stability.

He added that the government will complete the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme at any cost and the country is ready begin the 9th review with the global lending institution.

The finance minister further said that speculations were concluded after the appointment of the new army chief. He said that spreading rumours about Pakistan’s default risk is tantamount to causing damage to the country.