(Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction. Learn to take a joke; you’ll live longer.)
ISLAMABAD – Talks remained inconclusive between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the government of Pakistan for a bailout needed to build reserves and avert the possibility of a balance of payments crisis, following what Islamabad turned was ‘unreasonable’ and ‘rigid behaviour’ on the IMF delegation’s part.
After a late night press release issued by the Fund said that the dialogue with the Pakistani authorities will continue over the coming weeks, Finance Minister Asad Umar revealed that mission chief Herald Finger adopted an uncompromising approach towards the negotiations.
“They are adamant that Pakistan would have to pay back the money that it would borrow from the IMF,” the finance minister told The Dependent via a phone call from Kuala Lumpur.
“Herald Finger and his delegation feels that Pakistan should be and would be paying back the loan, while I and the government of Pakistan don’t want anything to do with such a menacing compulsion,” he added.
Umar said that this was the solitary disagreement between the two parties, adding that once IMF agrees to show relaxation on the condition, Pakistan’s debt repayment strategy would finally work as well.
“I think our best bet to repay the debts, given the modus operandi adopted by the current regime, would be if we didn’t have to repay the debts,” the finance minister said.
