ISLAMABAD: The Finance Ministry here on Saturday categorically refuted as baseless the news item aired by a private news channel regarding a supposed delay in releasing funds for development projects and salaries.
In a rebuttal statement, the spokesperson for the ministry said that a particular news item on a private news channel regarding any delay in the release of funds for development projects and the salaries of federal government employees was baseless and false.
“It would have been appropriate for the news channel to contact the Finance Division’s spokesperson before airing such news, but unfortunately this was not done,” the spokesperson said. Pakistan remains on track to meet all commitments of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, as evident from the smooth and successful completion of the Staff Level Agreement (SLA) of the first review, the statement added.
The statement also elaborated on the details of important fiscal highlights relating to fund availability, adding that the finance division has already released quarter 2 funds both for current (salary pension and non-ERE) and development expenditures.
Further, the Planning, Development, and Special Initiative (PD & SI) Division has accordingly authorized funds for development expenditure to line ministries. No change has been made by the Finance Division or Planning Division in the release strategy, as wrongly reported by the particular channel.
Moreover, the statement added that the finance division has released all Quarter 2 funds for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and transfer to beneficiaries is already well underway.
Similarly, all funds committed to subsidizing the power sector, in line with Circular Debt Management Plan (CDMP) requirements, have been made available by the division. Further, as per tradition, the release of salaries to the Christian community before Christmas has been ensured by the Finance Division.
The statement added that revenue collection by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and NTR collection by other ministries are fully on track. “These facts establish that the said news item was aired without any evidence and without taking the viewpoint of the government,” it added.
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