• Latif laments obstacles in the way of a deal with “global money lenders”.
• Says government “sacrificed its politics” for the country.
• Demands decision on foreign funding case to be pronounced.

PML-N MNA Javed Latif on Sunday claimed that so many “obstacles” are being put in the way of a deal with “global money lenders” that would save the country from default that “it seems unlikely it can be fulfilled”.

The remarks by the senior party leader, considered a close confidant of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and a loyalist of her father, Nawaz Sharif, came during a press conference in Islamabad.

On July 14, the IMF announced that its staff and Pakistani authorities had reached a staff-level agreement on policies to complete the combined 7th and 8th reviews of Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s executive board, following which Pakistan will get $1.17 billion, bringing the total disbursements under the programme to about $4.2 billion.

The path to the renewed IMF agreement, however, has been paved with painful policy decisions the coalition government has had to make to ensure the funds are disbursed.

“We sacrificed our politics to save the state,” Latif said. “We want to forget the past troubles and move forward for Pakistan. We made the sacrifice for a great cause.”

Referring to commentary on IMF requirements, he said: “People say the country should be run by technocrats.

“Some say there should be a presidential system in the country, some say the 18th Amendment should be abolished.”

‘Man who gifted us CPEC disqualified’

In his presser, the lawmaker also delved into legal matters.

He mentioned party Quaid Nawaz Sharif’s lifelong disqualification from public office by the Supreme Court, lamenting that the man who “gifted CPEC to Pakistan was disqualified”.

He also spoke about how the national leadership and political parties were being weakened deliberately. “Today, obstacles are being put in the way of the national government,” Latif added.

“If there was an empowered government, Nawaz Sharif would have returned,” the lawmaker said.

Praising Nawaz Sharif’s ideology as something that would “guarantee Pakistan’s survival”, the lawmaker claimed a majority of the country also believed that was the case.

He said the case on whether Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari’s ruling to not count ten PML-Q votes and hand Hamza Shehbaz victory in the CM election should be heard by full court.

Yesterday, the coalition government released a statement demanding a full court hear the matter.

He also demanded the decision on the PTI’s prohibited funding case should be pronounced by the ECP. “A decision on foreign funding should come within 15 days.”

He then lambasted PTI chief Imran Khan for leading the country to “civil war”.