It seems that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar does not like being questioned about the economy. A video of the Finance Minister losing his cool while being asked about the state of Pakistan’s economy is making the rounds on social media.
According to the details, Ishaq Dar was questioned by journalists whether it was his failure that Pakistan has still not reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The journalists also commented that Pakistan is facing tough economic conditions and that Ishaq Dar is unable to handle the situation. Apparently, at this, the finance minister lost his cool and hit back.
Read more: Ishaq Dar seeks Allah’s help in saving economy of Pakistan
Ishaq Dar, while looking clearly irritated by the questions, hit back by counter-questioning whether Pakistan has defaulted yet. He then brushed off the questions and left.
"آپ معیشت سنبھال نہیں سکے" کے سوال پر اسحاق ڈار شدید غصے میں آگئے جواب دیا "کیا پاکستان ڈیفالٹ کرگیا؟"۔۔۔!!! pic.twitter.com/hQqOxdZVS6
— Mughees Ali (@mugheesali81) May 29, 2023
The IMF and Pakistan held two weeks of talks in February in Islamabad to conclude the 9th review, but the lender has not yet released the money, which is critical for the country to unlock other bilateral and multilateral financings.
The parleys between Pakistan and the IMF continue for the completion of the ninth review, which was due on November 3 of last year. The formal negotiations started on January 31 when an IMF delegation visited Pakistan for in-person talks.
However, the two sides could not reach a consensus during the course of scheduled talks that ended on February 9. Since then, multiple online sessions have been held but the differences persist on conditions set by the Fund for the Staff Level Agreement (SLA).
On the other hand, Pakistan’s inflation is expected to rise further after authorities raised taxes and fuel prices to meet the IMF’s conditions for the revival of a $6.5 billion loan program.
Read more: Pakistan’s economy in ‘collapse’ as IMF visits