Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin gave briefing to the PTI members of parliament on mini-budget and faced tough questions from them, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Salimur Rehman grilled him on the rate of dollar which has hovered to Rs180. He said that the Finance Ministry had left people at the mercy of market economy.

Replying to his question, Mr Tarin said that the dollar rate was rising due to Afghanistan situation. He said the US dollar rate should be around Rs165 to Rs170 and hoped the government would be able to control the artificial appreciation of the greenback in next few days.

PTI MNA Ramesh Kumar expressed his concern over the IMF conditions. Ramesh Kumar said though he had no objection over the sovereignty of the State Bank but he did have reservations over the IMF conditions. He was of the view that the parliament and people should bring into loop on the IMF deal.

The PTI MNAs insisted that doubts over the economic security be removed.

Mr Tarin refuted the impression that the SBP was being handed over to the IMF and responded that it was government’s policy to make the institutions autonomous.

He informed that the government would appoint the board of governors. And the board of governors would appoint SBP governor.

Saleh Muhammad said that inflation was already at historic high and the mini-budget would trigger it further.

Khan Muhammad Jamali also objected to the new taxes being proposed in the mini-budget.

Reporter Awais Kiyani