To: Ms. Kristalina Geogieva, Managing Director, IMF
Copy: His Excellency, Neil Hawkins, Australian High Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) must cease providing loans to the fraudulent Pakistani government. Funds from IMF loans are being siphoned off by a group of corrupt individuals
engaging in money laundering activities. Overseas Pakistanis are urgently requesting the IMF to halt its financial support to a government steeped in corruption and fraud.
Global analysts have condemned Pakistan’s election commission, judiciary, establishment, and intelligence services for orchestrating manipulative tactics during the recent elections on February 8, 2024. Reports from international media correspondents stationed in Pakistan have shed light on widespread irregularities, casting serious doubt on the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.
The caretaker government has shamelessly misused Rs. 50 billion to bolster the positions of two of the most corrupt parties and their leaders. Pakistan’s current debt, totalling an alarming US$223.86 billion, equivalent to 74.3 percent of the country’s GDP, reflects the dire financial mismanagement plaguing the nation.
Under intense scrutiny, key figures within the caretaker government, including the army chief, election commissioner, and chief justice, must be held accountable under Pakistan’s constitution. Despite fears for their safety, numerous officials involved in the rigged electoral process have expressed willingness to expose irregularities, with some fleeing the country due to intimidation and arbitrary detention.
Allegations of bribery amounting to 13 billion rupees from Nawaz Sharif further underscore the pervasive corruption within the political establishment. Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have been vocal in exposing systemic corruption and malpractice, rallying support from Pakistan’s youth population.
The resilience demonstrated by voters in the face of intimidation highlights their unwavering demand for genuine democracy, transparency, and accountability. As a diaspora community comprising 10 million individuals worldwide, Pakistani Australians implore the IMF to heed their plea and cease providing financial assistance to corrupt rulers.
The recent electoral turmoil has propelled known money launderers, such as Asif Ali Zardari, and fraudulent politicians like Shahbaz Sharif & family, into top government positions, further exacerbating Pakistan’s economic woes. The IMF must intervene to prevent Pakistan from plunging further into bankruptcy.
To the Australian Government and its representatives, we, the Pakistani Australian Community, appeal for your assistance to IMF in addressing the current tumultuous situation in Pakistan. We stand for honesty, integrity, and a fair democratic system, and urge you to leverage your diplomatic influence to support a peaceful transition of power to legitimately elected leaders who uphold the values of transparency and accountability.
Syed Atiq ul Hassan
Sydney-based journalist, political analyst and a commentator,
Editor-in-Chief, Tribune International (Australia) – www.tribune.com
Senior Community Representative.
Mob +61 479 143 628
