Islamabad: Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that global institutions wanted the cash-strapped country to default like Sri Lanka before they would negotiate a new IMF loan package, blaming geopolitics for the delay.
According to him, the IMF has given no explanation for the "unnecessary delay" in completing the ninth review, which has been in the works since last November.
Even without the IMF rescue package, Dar assured the public, the country will fulfil its financial commitments. IMF or no IMF, Pakistan will not default, he was reported as saying by the Dawn newspaper.—Inputs from Agencies