US urges Pakistan to continue working with IMF on reforms to improve business environment

[HAIDER]

US urges Pakistan to continue working with IMF on reforms to improve business environment​

Dawn.com Published March 9, 2023 Updated about 3 hours ago




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In this file photo, US State Department Spokesman Ned Price speaks during a news briefing. — Reuters/File
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The US State Department has urged Pakistan to “continue working” with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), especially on reforms that will improve the country’s business environment, highlighting that it would help Pakistan attract “high-quality investment”.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price made the remarks in response to a query at a weekly press briefing on Wednesday.
“We encourage Pakistan to continue working with the IMF, especially on reforms that will improve Pakistan’s business environment. We believe that doing so — and the IMF believes this — will make Pakistani business more competitive [and] will also help Pakistan attract high-quality investment,” he said.
Price’s advice comes at a time when the government is striving to implement measures demanded by the IMF in order to complete its $7bn Extended Fund Facility programme as the country’s reserves are barely enough for three weeks of essential imports.
Amid continuous assurances from Finance Minister Ishaq Dar that the staff-level agreement is “about to conclude”, the international lender has required Pakistan, as a last step, to guarantee that its balance of payments deficit is fully financed for the remaining period of an IMF programme.
Responding to a query during the briefing if the US was worried about Pakistan’s current situation as it faced major economic issues, political challenges and a rise in terror attacks, Price reiterated US support for Pakistan through “economic partnership that has existed with the US over the course of decades now”.
He said that Pakistan was working with “international financial institutions — the IMF — to put itself on a sustainable growth path”.
“The United States is ready and able to continue to be a partner to the people of Pakistan and to our Pakistani counterparts as well,” he added.
In response to a question about if the US was not using its “friendly influence” that it had at the IMF to help Pakistan secure the deal, the spokesperson said: “Ultimately, it’s going to have to be decisions on the part of our Pakistani counterparts to unlock this IMF funding.”
Encouraging Pakistan to continue working with the money lender, Price highlighted that the technologies, market connections and management systems that accompany the deal were of more value than the “potential investment dollars”.
“They improve the competitiveness of partnering Pakistani firms, fueling economic growth that increases employment and household incomes,” he added.
The state department official asserted that it believed Pakistan could put itself on a path to sustainable growth by “continuing to make the necessary economic decisions”.
Additionally, responding to a query about police being involved in violence against the participants of the Aurat March in Islamabad a day ago, Price said the department was instead aware of the “clashes in Lahore ahead of a planned rally” by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and called for “all to exhibit restraint”.

 

[villageidiot]

Do more

 

[Dalit]

The United States is not a partner of the people of Pakistan. The United States is a partner of the Pakistani army and PDM.

 

[_NOBODY_]

Do more

The US is absolutely correct here. Pakistan needs to do a lot to improve its current business environment.

 

[Dalit]

The US is absolutely correct here. Pakistan needs to do a lot to improve its current business environment.

I would normally believe any other nation that would say such a thing regarding Pakistan. Unfortunately when it comes to the Americans I am unable to discern their right from wrong.

You look at Ned. Tell me honestly whether you believe any word that comes out of his mouth. Even his hands are lying.

 

[villageidiot]

The US is absolutely correct here. Pakistan needs to do a lot to improve its current business environment.

Ofcourse it is. No one is disputing that. Similarly, the US was right when they kept telling us to do more against terrorists. But that wasn't my point.

The point is "do more" is, how should I put it, a bit open ended. It may well mean "do more for us against China" for example. Case in point, the FATF grey list ordeal.

That's perfectly fine too. It's not the US's fault that might is right. But, let's call it for what it is.

You look at Ned. Tell me honestly whether you believe any word that comes out of his mouth. Even his hands are lying.

Ned [INSERT PUNJABI JUGGAT HERE] Price
Mine is:
Ned 'choosni-face' Price

 

[_NOBODY_]

Ofcourse it is. No one is disputing that. Similarly, the US was right when they kept telling us to do more against terrorists. But that wasn't my point.

The point is "do more" is, how should I put it, a bit open ended. It may well mean "do more for us against China" for example. Case in point, the FATF grey list ordeal.

That's perfectly fine too. It's not the US's fault that might is right. But, let's call it for what it is.


Ned [INSERT PUNJABI JUGGAT HERE] Price
Mine is:
Ned 'choosni-face' Price

No sane person will deny what you are saying. Pakistan needs to get its sh*t together and must maintain a balance between its relationship with both the US and China. Both of them are two of the most important partners of Pakistan along with the EU.