IMF asks for details as Pakistan plans relief measures in electricity bills amid protests

After the government in Pakistan approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for approval regarding its proposal to alleviate the concerns of citizens regarding increased electricity bills, the IMF has reportedly asked Islamabad to provide a written plan before releasing relief measures to the people who are suffering from inflation. People have taken to the streets to protest the sky-high electricity bills across the country, while the caretaker government is considering different ways in which to bring the tariff down – and quickly. Last week, concerned over the nationwide protests erupted against the massive electricity bills and relevant hashtags started trending on social media, Pakistan caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul-haq Kakar called an emergency meeting on August 27 to discuss the issue. Pakistan, which is facing its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1947, was on March 31, 2023, ranked fifth in the list of countries with the highest borrowing from IMF. The unprecedented fuel shortage and its adverse effects on the Pakistan Army’s operational readiness underline the profound impact of the country’s political and economic instability on its defence forces.