Kamalia:
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday that Pakistan has been in close contact with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the global lender has shown an understanding of the ongoing crisis triggered by the recent floods.
During a visit to Kamalia Tehsil in Toba Tek Singh, one of the worst affected areas, the minister said, prioritize the government and prefer to use domestic resources before seeking additional funds. “The whole world sees the difficulties that the Pakistani people are facing,” he noted.
Aurangzeb noted that infrastructure, including roads, bridges and houses, had been severely damaged. He added, it would be inappropriate to send electricity bills to the residents of disaster-affected zones at this time.
To express gratitude, saying that the loss of life in Toba Tek Singh remained minimal, the minister of flooding water quickly asked to disappear so that farmers could begin to plant the next crop. “We will rebuild the infrastructure and restore it to its original state,” he assured.
Aurangzeb also praised the extent of the ongoing relief operation and called it unprecedented in the country’s history. He extended special thanks to the Pakistani army for their role in rescue and relief activities.
Earlier on Friday, the IMF expressed concern and deep grief over the loss of life in Pakistan’s recent devastating floods and announced that its other economic review would also assess the influence of the disaster on the economy as well as the financial demands of recovery and reconstruction.
According to sources, the IMF team will evaluate whether Pakistan’s fiscal policy and emergency measures are sufficient to handle the crisis.
