Islamabad

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has sought a guarantee from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the general elections in Pakistan will be held as per schedule. An IMF delegation met the PTI chief in Lahore to seek assurance and support for key objectives and policies under the recently announced $3 billion bailout programme. The meeting comes days ahead of the global lender’s executive board meeting to review the standby arrangement (SBA) for Pakistan and consider the possibility of support.

Esther Perez Ruiz, the IMF’s local representative, said in a statement that the meetings with political parties were “to seek assurances of their support for key objectives and policies under a new IMF-backed program ahead of the upcoming national elections”, Geo News reported. Were for”. However, sources close to the meeting of the IMF delegation with the PTI chief on Saturday revealed that the PTI chief asked the global lender to ensure that the general elections, slated for October this year, are held on time.

“What guarantee can you (IMF) give that the elections in the country will be held on time,” the PTI chief said, as reported by Geo News. According to insiders, IMF representatives said the Washington-based lender closely monitors the country’s situation but “we cannot interfere too much in internal political matters”.

Sources said that the IMF delegation further said that the short-term bailout package has been designed in such a way that the regime change is expected to happen on time, Geo News reported. Insiders said IMF officials also expressed hope that the interim arrangement would hold general elections in the country within the constitutionally stipulated time.