The government should decide on the IMF with a new mandate.

While deviating from his party line, PPP senior leader Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar suggested that the decision to go to the International Monetary Fund be made by a government with a new mandate, emphasizing the need for early elections in the country.

Khokhar stated on Twitter, “The decision to go to the IMF should be taken by a government with a new mandate.”

“We will face very difficult conditions, and a government with a new mandate will be in a better position to negotiate and possibly get better terms,” Khokhar said, adding, “Why should we bear the burden of Imran Khan’s failures?”

Khokhar’s views reflect the coalition partners’ disagreement over the high political cost of tough economic decisions made under IMF pressure, as many have stated publicly.

PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz is among those who believe that the government should not burden the people with a massive increase in petroleum product prices.

The coalition parties, however, decided to proceed with the decision to stabilize the economy.

The government raises the price of petrol by Rs30 per liter.

After the IMF emphasized the elimination of commodity subsidies, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail announced an increase in the price of petroleum products on Thursday.

The finance minister announced at a press conference that the government has decided to raise the price of petrol, diesel, kerosene oil, and light diesel by Rs30, effective May 27.

The finance minister acknowledged that some of the burden had to be shifted to the people, but despite the massive increase in the price of petroleum products, the government was still losing money and vowed to reach a staff-level agreement with the Fund soon.

A day earlier, Pakistan and the IMF were unable to reach a staff-level agreement after the global lender stated that there were deviations from the policies agreed upon by both parties.

The IMF late Wednesday delayed the revival of the stalled $6-billion programme under the External Financing Facility (EFF) for Pakistan.