Washington: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has expressed his intention to buy Russian oil, but on the condition that it supplies the essential commodity at the same price as it is giving to India.
Responding to a question in Washington, Dar expressed hope that the West would not mind importing Russian oil at subsidized rates due to Pakistan’s financial difficulties following the recent devastating floods.
On the length of the current government, the finance minister said that the coalition government at the center has enough time to return to the political front.
“10 months is enough for the government to regain its political prestige and gain popularity. We had to choose between two things: either to save our politics or the state. We chose the other,” he said. He said while commenting on the results of the by-elections.
In response to a question regarding US President Biden’s statement on Pakistan’s nuclear programme, he said that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has already said that there is a strong command and control system in the country. He added that US officials often admit it.
At the recent Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting, Dar is hopeful that Pakistan will get off the watchdog’s gray list. He said that a meeting is expected in a few days and the government hopes that the country will get out of the FATF gray list.
The finance minister was in Washington on a four-day visit where he met officials of the IMF, World Bank and others.
