Asad Umar said that he had made this clear to PM Imran Khan that going to IMF was an option, not a compulsion.
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 27th July, 2019) Former finance minister Asad Umar has revealed that he had presented Prime Minister Imran Khan an alternate plan instead of going for an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
As per media reports, while talking to a ceremony at Karachi school of business and Leadership, Asad Umar said that he had made this clear to PM Imran Khan that going to IMF was an option, not a compulsion.
He said that the alternate option was to utilize the positive reputation of PM Imran Khan in international financial market, as well as the ties of Pak Army with Gulf Countries. Asad Umar presented this alternate plan as Finance Minister to the PM, a month before he was removed from his position.
Further it has been revealed in media reports that under the alternate plans, Asad Umar wanted to get funds from international financial market and commercial banks.
The former finance minister while talking to the ceremony said that Imran Khan’s positive reputation globally and particularly in Asia, as well as the smooth civil military relations were to be used as the basis for the alternate plans.
Asad Umar had announced to resign from Finance Ministry during a press conference, which was followed by a massive shuffling in Federal cabinet, resulting in changing of portfolios of various ministers.
Asad Umar was offered Petroleum Ministry instead of Finance, but he rejected the offer. Afterwards, a lot of efforts were made to persuade Asad Umar to remain part of the cabinet, later he was appointed as the chairman of Senate Standing Committee for Finance.
