IMF clears the air about Shehbaz-Georgieva call after ‘misleading’ handout released by PM office
ISLAMABAD – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that a call between Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took place on the request of the Pakistani premier
In a statement to a private TV channel today, IMF resident representative Esther Perez clarified that the telephonic conversation between Shehbaz Sharif and Kristalina Georgieva was held to discuss the international conference on resilient Pakistan, which is scheduled to be held tomorrow (January 9).
The IMF official responded to an official handout released by the PM Office after his speech at the Hazara Electric Supply Company (HAZECO)’s inauguration ceremony which read that “the IMF managing director called premier Shehbaz on the phone.”
During his Friday’s speech, PM Shehbaz claimed that the Fund’s managing director had contacted him and that the IMF mission “would come to Pakistan in two to three days.”
However, the IMF official said that the Fund’s delegation is expected to meet Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the Geneva conference to discuss outstanding issues and the path forward.
The statement did not indicate that the 9th review mission will arrive in Pakistan in three days.
Such factually incorrect statements may create more problems for Pakistan to convince the IMF, particularly when there is a long history of mistrust between both the sides.
