PPP leader Raza Rabbani has said that the US secretary of state's statement about IMF bailout of Pakistan suggests that economic assistance to developing counties by international financial institutions is linked to how these countries engage with other regional and global powers with which US has issues.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had recently warned that any potential International Monetary Fund bailout for Pakistan's new government should not provide funds to pay off Chinese lenders, Rabbani cited in a press release issued here on Saturday.
"This is a naked politicization of assistance given by the international financial institutions. This assistance by developing countries is sought on purely economic terms and conditions," Rabbani said, adding that if there was any doubt that IFIs are tools in the hands of imperialist powers that stands exposed now. He exhorted that if the government-in-waiting is considering going to the IMF, then prior to such a decision, the matter should be thoroughly debated in both houses of the Parliament.-PR