Imran to push for IMF aid suspension over alleged ‘election rigging
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan will write a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), demanding it to stop their support for Pakistan due to “rigged elections,” party leader Ali Zafar announced on Thursday.
Rawalpindi_”Today, the PTI founder will dispatch a letter to the IMF,” Senator Zafar informed a group of journalists, emphasising that according to the charters of the IMF, European Union and similar institutions, their assistance or loans to a nation were contingent upon the presence of “good governance”.
According to Barrister Zafar, a fundamental tenet of these charters was the requirement for democratic governance. “These institutions are not meant to operate within nations without a democratic system in place. And the basic pillar of democracy is free and fair elections.”
Unfortunately, the recent election was marred by allegations of manipulation, the PTI senator stated, adding, “The entire world saw how the public mandate was stolen.”
Highlighting instances of alleged electoral malpractice, Zafar accompanied by PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan mentioned that apart from pre-election irregularities, PTI-backed winning candidates were unfairly denied victory afterward.
Zafar further lamented the lack of authorisation to visit PTI founder’s spouse, Bushra Bibi, who is currently detained at the Bani Gala residence serving as a sub-jail.
Pakistan’s previous $3 billion IMF programme, secured last year, helped stave off a sovereign debt crisis. However, with its expiration imminent, securing a new, larger agreement is a pressing concern for the new government.
‘IMF to hold talks with Pakistan’s new govt for loan tranche’
Amidst the formation of a coalition government between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and their allies, the PTI and other parties have rejected the results and announced nationwide protests alleging irregularities in the 2024 general elections.
Moreover, the PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and others have demanded Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja resign over his failure to ensure free and fair elections.
