pakistan-terms-india-s-imf-move-politically-motivated

Pakistan terms India’s IMF move politically motivated

‘Its plan to impress upon IMF to review Pak loans is aimed at isolating Islamabad diplomatically’

 

Islamabad

Ahead of a crucial review meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next week, Pakistan has termed India’s announcement to request the global lender to review Islamabad’s financial support programme in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack as “politically motivated”.

 

Quoting officials, a leading Pakistan daily said on Saturday that India’s attempt to involve the IMF “is an extension of its political campaign to isolate Pakistan diplomatically”.

 

The IMF Executive Board is scheduled to meet Pakistan officials on May 9 for the first review of the Extended Funding Facility (EFF) and request for an arrangement under the resilience and sustainability facility.

 

India had said on Friday that it would be asking global multilateral agencies, including the IMF, to have a relook at funds and loans provided to Pakistan as New Delhi seeks to corner the neighbouring state diplomatically following the dastardly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam which killed 26 tourists.

 

The newspaper said officials were of the view that India’s attempt to involve the IMF is an extension of its political campaign to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.

 

Authorities have identified five terrorists, including three Pakistani nationals, to be behind the massacre in Pahalgam.

 

Islamabad has rejected the accusations and called for an impartial international investigation.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, on April 24, vowed to punish the terrorists behind the Pahalgam terror attack and those part of the conspiracy beyond their imagination. He said the country's enemies targeted not merely unarmed tourists, but dared to attack India's soul.

 

In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass on April 29, Modi said the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the terror attack.

 

Meanwhile, the newspaper quoted an adviser to Pakistan’s Finance Ministry as confirming on Friday that the country’s US $7-billion IMF bailout, secured last year, is “well on track” and remains critical for macroeconomic stability.

 

Islamabad also received an additional US $1.3 billion in climate resilience funding in March 2025.

 

“The latest IMF review went smoothly, and our meetings with global financial institutions in Washington reflected high investor interest,” said Finance Adviser Khurram Shehzad.