Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Paris for the third time to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to fulfilling its loan program. During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed his gratitude to the IMF chief for acknowledging Pakistan’s economic situation and stressed the country’s determination to fulfill all its commitments. He also highlighted the significant challenges faced by Pakistan, including the recent floods, but assured that despite these difficulties, the government had provided relief to its people. Shehbaz emphasized the importance of striking a balance between providing relief to the people and addressing economic realities, stating that reviving the country’s economy was crucial for meeting the targets set by the IMF. He acknowledged the need for important measures to restore the economy, which had suffered during the previous government’s tenure, and believed that economic revival would facilitate better achievement of IMF targets. The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fulfill its promises and pledges made to the international community.
The IMF chief, Kristalina Georgieva, appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz’s resolve and commitment. In a social media post, Shehbaz encouraged overseas Pakistanis to be cautious of malicious propaganda and disinformation aimed at tarnishing Pakistan’s image and state institutions. He expressed his pride in the achievements of overseas Pakistanis and their contributions to their adopted countries worldwide. The prime minister also took the opportunity to explain the circumstances under which the coalition government assumed office and the immense economic, diplomatic, and political challenges they faced over the past year. He emphasized the grave implications of the tragic incidents of May 9 and called for vigilance against propaganda that may damage Pakistan’s reputation. Shehbaz outlined the broad contours of the Economic Revival Plan, which aimed to put the country’s economy back on track through long-term policies. He reiterated that achieving economic self-reliance remained the government’s overarching goal.
