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#GEOBREAKINGNEWS - FM Qureshi says government tried its best to resolve financial issues without IMF- 13 May 2019| #GEONEWS

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government "tried its best" to resolve the country's economic woes without the International Monetary Fund's assistance.

Sharing his thoughts with journalists following a $6 billion loan agreement between Pakistan and the IMF, Qureshi said the government pursued the global lender to soften its terms and conditions for the financial package.

When the PTI came to power, there was a difference of $19 billion in imports and exports, he noted, adding that there was no investment or avenues for the creation of jobs.

"The PTI government tried its best to settle financial issues without the IMF," the minister said.

Qureshi said the PTI government had managed to reduce sales tax on petroleum products to 17 per cent from 56 per cent during the PML-N tenure and was striving hard to enhance the tax net base.

The past regimes remained dependent on indirect taxation, however, the incumbent government was trying to bring more people into the tax net as it would help reduce the burden on the common public, he said.

To a question, he said some powers did not want stability in Pakistan.

"They do not want to see the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) completed as it would enhance regional connectivity," he said.



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