Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin stated on Thursday that the administration has no imminent plans to raise the power tariff.

In an interview with the US Institute of Peace in Washington, the Finance Minister stated that before raising the power pricing, the administration will take steps to reduce inflation in the nation.

He said that the Pakistani government is in communication with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the situation. Shaukat Tarin claimed that changes were being implemented to enhance the country’s economy. He added that steps were being done to privatise a few loss-making state-owned businesses in order to lessen the financial load.

He stated that the administration has placed the country’s economy on the right route and expressed hope that Pakistan’s growth rate will reach 5%. Tarin noted that the government will shortly receive the IMF’s sixth disbursement.

Also Read: IMF forecasts drop in inflation and unemployment in Pakistan

The Finance Minister stated that they desired good connections with both China and the United States, adding that favourable relations between Pakistan and China should not have an influence on relations between Pakistan and the United States.

He added that Pakistan-US ties should be regarded from an economic standpoint rather than just a security standpoint.

Pakistan, according to the minister, wants cordial ties with all of its neighbours, including India. He went on to say that Kashmir is a source of dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi.

Shaukat Tarin, speaking on Afghanistan, stated that the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan is a reality, and that Washington must recognise that the Taliban require humanitarian assistance.

If the rest of the world abandons Afghanistan, he believes it would descend into anarchy, with Pakistan bearing the brunt of the consequences.

According to Tarin, Pakistan has handled 26 of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) 27 action items. “Pakistan is being punished by some countries,” he mentioned, adding that if it were any other country, it would have been taken from the grey list long ago.