One-month timeframe given to form caretaker govt: Shabbar Zaidi

Former chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue Shabbar Zaidi claimed Tuesday that a one-month timeframe has been given to form a caretaker government after a deadlock between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Shabbar Zaidi, while talking to the ARY News programme ‘Off the Record’, claimed that there is a deadlock between the coalition government and the IMF. The incumbent government is not in a position to hold talks with the IMF till March, he added.

He said that the government will have to take important decisions regarding the economy this week. Pakistan has technically entered default as the banks are not opening LCs. He said that Dar failed to get a temporary solution to the economic crisis and the decisions are being taken on an ad hoc basis.

READ: ‘BIG DECISION REGARDING ECONOMIC SITUATION LIKELY ON FRIDAY’

The former FBR chairman said that the global institutions will prefer to hold talks with the new government. He added that the global agencies will not hold negotiations with the incumbent government if it delays fresh elections till March.

He claimed that a constitutional solution is being sought for the tenure of the caretaker government. Zaidi suggested giving two-year tenure to the next caretaker government to make tough decisions to improve the economy.

He said that the caretaker government can resolve the economic issues as a political government cannot bear the burden of tough decisions.

Yesterday, Shabbar Zaidi said that a ‘big decision’ regarding the economic situation is likely to be made on Friday.

While talking to the ARY News programme ‘The Reporters’, Shabbar Zaidi said that the country would not even spend one week in the prevailing economic crisis.

He said that Pakistan has to repay around Rs8.5 billion in debts but the national exchequer is empty.