Likely to reach an accord with IMF ahead of budget: Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD, May 7 (SABAH): Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry has said that it is expected to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ahead of the budget. He said the current government would try its level best to present a reasonable budget.

Ahsan Iqbal expressed these views during an interview with a private TV channel. He further said that the current government had taken all the tough decisions already and added at present the country’s stability depends on the political stability as well as continuity of the economic policies.

He said if the assembly is dissolved 10 days ahead of its term, then there is space of 90 days which reaches up to November and added if the assembly is dissolved after completing its period then there is space of 60 days which will be completed in October. He said that they would leave the government on the fixed time and the polls would be conducted in the light of Constitution.

He maintained if the negotiations with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continue and former prime minister and Chairman PTI Imran Khan does not disrupt the political negotiation process then he added “I am sure that negotiation team would sort out the issue.”

He remarked, “The issue is not that either elections should be conducted or not but the issue is that whether polls in Punjab should be held ahead of other polls in the country or all elections throughout Pakistan at the same time. In accordance with the Constitution, all the units are equal,” he added.

Ahsan Iqbal stressed upon the chief justice of Pakistan for full court formation for sorting out issues of the country and added if does not do this then all the routes would be closed as he added, “We have trapped in an issue.”

He said that there are two concepts in the democracy: one is judicial review and the other is parliamentary oversight and added both of them should go side by side. If the courts exceed its powers then parliamentary oversight’s function would have to take stock of the situation. If the Parliament does the same then the issue would have to be seen through judicial review.