IMF Raises Concerns Over Rs344 Billion in Extra Spending Without Parliamentary Approval

Islamabad: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed serious concerns over the Pakistani government’s expenditure of Rs344 billion without prior approval from the National Assembly, terming the move a violation of the loan agreement terms.
According to sources, the federal government spent Rs344.64 billion in additional funds during the current fiscal year across multiple sectors. Of this, Rs115 billion was allocated as a grant to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) under the energy sector, while Rs59 billion was requested as a supplementary grant for defense expenditures.
Furthermore, Rs30 billion was earmarked for flood-affected victims in Sindh, and Rs14 billion was disbursed for the solarization of agricultural tube wells. The military received Rs23 billion for counterterrorism initiatives, while Rs2 billion was approved for technology upgrades.
An additional Rs3.7 billion was allocated to the Reko Diq project, and Rs520 million was granted to the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). Moreover, Rs7 billion was released for lawmakers’ development schemes, and Rs6 billion was issued to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for various departments including the Supreme Court, High Court, Ministry of Interior, and others.
The IMF is reportedly dissatisfied with the bypassing of parliamentary procedures, viewing it as a breach of fiscal governance standards agreed under the ongoing financial assistance program.