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LHC adjourns hearing in writ against IFIs terms for offering aid

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: The deputy legal adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the international financial institutions (IFIs) routinely lay down conditions for offering assistance and it is for the government to accept or not assistance under such terms.

In his reply to a petition pending before the Lahore High Court, Shair Bahadar Khan contended that the loans from the international financial institutions are obtained by the government in the light of its economic and financial requirements but these institutions do not interfere in our sovereignty as such.

He said that foreign policy is conducted by the Chief Executive keeping in view the interests of the country and any citizen who has a difference of opinion with the government has no legal right to enforce his views on the government through the courts and such matters are not justifiable.

The court adjourned the proceedings of the petition seeking clarification on the point as to whether Pakistan is an independent country or not.

The petitioner contended that the government was running its affairs under the pressure and directions of the international financial institutions which was against our sovereignty.