Pak, poll, pressure

Chairman Imran Khan had sought International Monetary Fund (IMF) guarantee that the general elections in Pakistan will be held on its scheduled time, local media reported. In a bid to seek assurance and support for the key objectives and policies under the recently announced $3 billion bailout programme, a delegation of the IMF called on the PTI chief in Lahore, days before the global lender’s executive board meeting to review and possibly endorse the Standby Arrangement (SBA) for Pakistan.IMF’s resident representative Esther Perez Ruiz in a statement said that the meetings with political parties were to “seek assurances of their support for the key objectives and policies under a new IMF-supported programme ahead of the approaching national elections”. However, sources privy to the IMF delegation’s meeting with the PTI chief on Saturday revealed that the latter asked the global lender to ensure that the general elections, scheduled to take place in October this year, will be held on its time. “What guarantee can you (IMF) give that the elections in the country will be held on time,” the PTI chief was quoted as saying in the huddleThe IMF representatives, as per insiders, responded by saying that the Washington-based lender keeps a close eye on the situation in the country but “we cannot interfere too much in internal political matters”. The IMF delegation further added that short-term bailout package has been chalked out in such a way that the transition of power is expected to take place on time