Islamabad: Amid allegations of widespread electoral fraud in Pakistan, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken a bold step. On Thursday, he wrote to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), urging the organization to conduct audits on at least 30% of the national and provincial assembly constituencies. The goal is to uncover any blatant intervention or fraud that may have occurred during the elections before any further bailout package is considered for the financially troubled nation.
Khan, who has been incarcerated since 2023 due to multiple cases against him, previously declared his intention to request the IMF to refrain from providing assistance to the current government. The 71-year-old founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has accused the PMN (N) and PPP coalition of tampering with the elections to maintain their hold on power and keep him sidelined.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Gohar Ali Khan, the appointed chairman of PTI, along with party Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan, confirmed the existence of the letter sent to the IMF. However, they opted not to disclose its contents. Nevertheless, a letter authored by party spokesperson Raoof Hasan under Khan’s guidance and addressed to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has been obtained by the Press Trust of India.
In the letter, PTI clarified its stance, stating that it does not oppose IMF assistance to Pakistan if it serves the immediate and long-term economic well-being of the country. However, the party emphasized that any IMF facility should come with conditions attached.
PTI alleged that the general elections held on February 8 incurred a public expenditure of Rs 50 billion (USD 180 million) and were marred by extensive interference and fraudulent activities during the vote counting and result compilation process.
The party asserted, “This intervention and fraud have been so brazen that the IMF’s most important member countries, including the US, Britain, and countries forming part of the European Union, have called for a full and transparent investigation into the matter.”
PTI called upon the IMF to adhere to its guidelines on good governance and precondition requirements before granting financial assistance that would burden the people of Pakistan with further debt.
Demanding an audit of at least thirty per cent of the national and provincial assembly seats, PTI suggested that such an audit could be completed in just two weeks. The party clarified that it was not advocating for the IMF to assume the role of an investigative agency but proposed that local organizations such as the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) and PATTAN-Coalition38 possess suitable methodologies for conducting the election audit.
The letter concluded by highlighting that PTI’s request for an audit by the IMF would serve as a significant step towards ensuring enduring prosperity, growth, and macroeconomic stability in Pakistan.
