Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed the hope that Pakistan would finalize an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this month, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Green Line Express Train Service in Islamabad on Friday, the prime minister said the government will be able to ink an agreement with the IMF for the ninth review of the Extended Fund Facility this month.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressing the inaugural ceremony of Greenline Train servicehttps://t.co/eSarWkLCmy
Shehbaz Sharif said “I am hopeful that we will soon reach an agreement with the IMF this month and we will come out of these difficulties and then multilateral and bilateral institutions will work with us.”
The prime minister congratulated Khawaja Saad Rafique and Chinese company and said the train had modern facilities including internet service. He said foundation stone of the green line train service was laid during Nawaz Sharif regime. The prime minister said governments change with the passage of time.
PM Shehbaz said country was standing on crossroads and there was a dire need to save even a penny for dear homeland. He said hopefully the agreement with IMF will be signed in the current month.
He said nations that face all challenges courageously make progress. He asked for how long Pakistan will keep moving with others’ support.
The prime minister said the headway in talks with IMF would help the country address the current economic situation.
The IMF delegation will be visiting Islamabad from January 31 to February 9 to continue discussions regarding the ninth review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
The prime minister emphasized the adoption of austerity at a massive scale to tackle difficult economic problems. He said the government had set its priority keeping in view its foreign exchange reserves, thus allowing the import of medicine and food as essential items.
He said courageous nations stand united while braving the challenges with resilience. Shehbaz Sharif expressed confidence that with dedication and commitment, the country would soon regain its glory.
He regretted the Green Line project, which was initiated during the tenure of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, was delayed by the previous government. He endorsed the concept of outsourcing Pakistan Railways to make it better equipped and at par with contemporary services. The prime minister said Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway track was a top priority for the government and mentioned that China was committed to its early completion.
He pointed out that the previous government indulged in baseless accusations of corruption against Chinese companies, and stressed that the coalition government was working on restoring the ties.
The prime minister visited various coaches of the train and appreciated the services provided for the travellers to make their journey comfortable.
The Green Line train will have stops at the stations at Rawalpindi, Chaklala, Lahore, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, Rohri, Hyderabad and Drigh Road, Karachi stations. The turnaround time of the Green Line is set at 22 hours, which will be reduced gradually.