ONE is of the opinion that the IMF is not responsible for the volatile decline in Pakistan’s economy. Rather it is this country’s elected and unelected leadership past and present who are to blame for they have never tried to tax the elite, the rich and the powerful.

The IMF never forced Pakistan to seek loans nor cajoled whatever government was in power to not tax the propertied class and those who enjoy the fruits of the state because of the institutions they serve.

Again, the IMF never told Pakistan to go begging for bailouts from other countries. This is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result.

The country’s survival lies only in taxing all of the elite and the rich. The IMF will only wish us God-speed for taking a long overdue measure and the only panacea to our economic problems.

Jameel Baloch

Washuk, Balochistan

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2019