The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that there was no requirement interfering with the constitutional responsibilities of the government of Pakistan.
There is “no requirement under Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) supported program which could interfere with the country’s ability to undertake constitutional activities,” IMF stated on Thursday.
Decisions regarding the constitutionality, viability, and timing of provincial and general elections “rest solely with Pakistan’s institutions.”
A day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to postpone the Punjab Assembly elections by more than five months due to budgetary and security concerns, the international monetary lender released a statement.
The ECP’s order described a meeting held on March 9 at which the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance informed the commission that “due to the paucity of funds and financial crunch, the country is facing an unprecedented economic crisis and it was under compulsion by IMF program which has set targets for maintenance of fiscal discipline and deficit, and it would be difficult for [the government] to release funds now” for elections in the country.
