As the cash-strapped Pakistan economy struggles to recover, a top US official said that there is “no quick fix” to the country’s economic problems. The remarks came from US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Elizabeth Horst. While Horst mentioned that the arrangements determined by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the country can help Pakistan recover, she made it clear that the road to recovery is not an easy one, Dawn reported. Pakistan is currently witnessing one of the worst economic crises in its history. While the inflation in Pakistan is skyrocketing, the government is struggling to safeguard its federal reserves.
“We support the arrangement. It provides a breathing space” Horst asserted during a conversation with a Pakistan-based journalist on Friday. “Pakistan should continue to work with the IMF, but there’s no quick fix but there’s a fix,” she added. The US official warned that the coming days would be very tough for the people of Pakistan, Dawn reported. The remarks by the US diplomat came in the midst of reports that the country’s national airline carrier is struggling to operate amid mounting losses. The situation in the country is so deplorable that Pakistan International Airlines won’t be able to operate without help for just one day, The News International reported.
‘We have no favorites’: US official
The US official also urged the Pakistani administration to hold a democratic and fair election soon. She also made it clear that the United States have no favorites in this regard.
“It’s for the Pakistani people to decide who they want to elect. We do not support one party against the other. We support the rule of law and democracy in Pakistan,” she said.
Along with the economic crisis, the country is in the middle of political turmoil as the tussle between the ruling Pakistan regime and former Prime Minister Imran Khan continues to intensify. If the incumbent government steps down from power as it has promised, Pakistan will head towards a tight general election.
The political comeback of disgraced former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is highly anticipated as tensions continue to simmer in the country. She also pointed out that terrorism in Pakistan is a grave issue both in regional and domestic domains and urged the Pakistani administration to work in this regard.
