Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday strongly condemned the incident of burning of the Holy Quran in Sweden, and demanded strict action against the culprit, Aaj News reported.

Addressing a federal cabinet meeting convened to discuss the overall political and economic situation of the country, the premier said Pakistan endorsed the demands made by the emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Taking the cabinet members into confidence on the $3 billion stand-by agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the premier said that the first tranche of over $1 billion will be received later in July.

Terming the IMF deal a “breather” and a “moment of concern” for Pakistan, PM Shehbaz urged all the national institutions to make concerted efforts to rid the country of loans and put it on the course to progress.

He urged institutions to make united efforts for at least the next 15 years, while staying in their respective jurisdictions, to address the country’s economic woes.

“The country’s deliverance from loans required a vision, unity, hard work, and sacrifice by the affluent people. If we opt for this course, no one can stop Pakistan from achieving progress,” he remarked.

The prime minister also thanked all of his cabinet members, particularly Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his team, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Managing Director of IMF for their respective roles to make Pakistan achieve the nine-month stand-by agreement of $3 billion.

“I pray that this is the last IMF deal. But this is easier said than done,” he commented and mentioned that state-owned enterprises like Steel Mills, PIA, and others were eating up around Rs600 billion annually.