ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated legal action against the Ministry of Interior and ultimately accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Tarin of sabotaging talks between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He asked for permission to arrest him. Sources reported on Sunday.
The investigation agency has completed the investigation against the leaked audios of the former finance minister and former ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the FIA, Tarin’s conversation was an attempt to derail the deal with the Washington-based lender and he wanted to harm the country’s security and national interests.
The FIA had launched an inquiry into the matter last year after alleged telephone conversations between Tarin and the two finance ministers came to light that allegedly jeopardized the IMF deal during the recent floods. had started a verbal spat between the government and the PTI for purportedly trying to jeopardise the IMF deal during the recent floods
Audio leaks
Last year, before the IMF board meeting to approve Pakistan’s bailout package, the PTI leader reportedly made telephone calls to former finance ministers of Punjab and KP and asked them to give the IMF Write letters to get them to back out of the extra budget commitment.
The leaked audio surfaced on the day the international lender’s executive board was scheduled to meet to consider Pakistan’s request for a $1.2 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
Tarin-Leghari leak
Tarinreportedly asked former Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari to pull out of the IMF deal to tell the lender that the pledges Punjab had made before the floods and now the province is facing unprecedented losses. “Can’t respect that”.
The leaked audio came to light on the day the global lender’s executive board was scheduled to meet to consider Pakistan’s request for a $1.2 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
“You signed a 750 billion rupees [surplus] pledge with the IMF. Now you need to tell them that the pledge you made was before the floods, and now [Punjab] is flooded.” [rehabilitation] to spend a lot of funds.]”
“You now need to say ‘we will not be able to honor our commitment’,” Tareen told Leghari, telling Leghari that this was what he wanted – to increase pressure on the current government.
The PTI leader asked the former finance minister to draft a letter and send it for consideration so that it could be forwarded to the federal government and later to the IMF representative in Pakistan.
At Tareen’s request, Leghari asked whether Pakistan would suffer if Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab, withdrew from the deal.
“Well, isn’t the state already suffering because of the way they are treating your chairman [Khan] and everyone else? The IMF must be asking them: Where are you going to get the money now?” will get?” Tareen replied.
Tareen said it could not go any further and the party could not tolerate “misbehaviour” and could not respond. The PTI leader said that we cannot be blackmailed.
Tarin-Jhagra leak
In another leaked audio, Tareen can be heard asking former KP finance minister Taimur Jhagra if he had written the letter.
“I am on my way. I have the previous letter. I will send it to you after drafting it,” replied the former KP finance minister.
Conspiring against the IMF deal, Tareen instructed Jhagra that the main point of his letter should be on the devastation of floods in the province.
“The first point [of the letter] will be that we need huge financial assistance to restore the infrastructure and rehabilitate the flood victims,” Tareen told the former KP finance minister, adding that he was already in Punjab. Finance Minister has been informed about this.
“By the way, it’s a blackmail tactic,” he said, adding that no one gives up money.
