Pakistan paid US$ 11 bln in last 10 months: Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has timely paid its loans and in last 10 months, we have repaid 11 billion dollars, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar stated on Saturday.

“We will pay each foreign payment in time,” federal minister said in a statement.

“A strange mentality wants to see Pakistan in default, but those want the country in default have been proved wrong continuously for last several months,” he said.

“Pakistan has paid back one billion dollars of bonds in time,” he said.

“Confusion has been created about my attending the IMF meeting. There are speculations about my participation in the IMF session, schedule of which issued several weeks before these meetings,” Ishaq Dar said.

“I had to leave for United States on April 10 to attend spring sessions of the World Bank and the IMF,” finance minister said.

“A constitutional crisis has been created. The court has ordered the government to release 21 billion rupees for holding elections in Punjab,” he said. “The federal government has been asked to release the amount to the election commission by April 10,” he said.

“The finance ministry have crucial responsibility with regard to the amount. “I have cancelled my US visit in these circumstances on the instructions of the prime minister,” Ishaq Dar said.

“Previous government has gifted the country this financial and economic crisis. It is being said that the IMF has prevented me from attending the meeting. It could not do so, Pakistan has been a member of the World Bank and not a beggar,” finance minister said.

“How the IMF or World Bank could prevent me from the US visit,” he questioned. “I will remain present online in the spring meeting,” he further said.