Washington: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has insisted that Pakistan needs to protect the poor and tax the rich. Along with this, he also asked the Government of Pakistan to ensure that the subsidy should be given to only those people who really need it.
In an interview on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the IMF chief said on Friday, ‘My heart is with the people of Pakistan. They have been devastated by the floods that affected one-third of the country’s population.” He said, “What we are asking are the steps that Pakistan needs to take to be able to function as a country And he should not get into such a dangerous situation where his debt needs to be restructured.
He said, ‘I want to emphasize that we are focusing on two things. Number one, tax revenue. Those who can, who are making good money in the public or private sector… need to contribute to the economy. Second, fair distribution of pressures by extending the subsidy only to those who really need it.
The IMF chief said, ‘It should not happen that the rich get benefited from the subsidy. It should be for the poor [who] benefit from them, and the fund for this is very clear. We want the poor people of Pakistan to be protected.
This statement of the IMF chief has come at a time when no agreement has been reached between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the staff level for the $ 1.1 billion relief package. This package is very important to save Pakistan from bankruptcy.
