Operation Sindoor: As the International Monetary Fund (IMF) prepares for a crucial board meeting on May 9, India has made it clear that it will raise serious objections regarding continued financial support to Pakistan. Speaking at a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that India’s executive director at the IMF will present the country’s official stance, urging global stakeholders to evaluate Pakistan’s conduct before extending further aid.
India to raise concerns related to Pakistan’s financial management with IMF
Foreign Secretary Misri confirmed that India’s executive director will participate in the upcoming IMF board meeting to highlight concerns related to Pakistan’s financial management. He stressed that while the board’s final decision rests with all members, the facts about Pakistan’s misuse of funds are “self-evident” and should prompt caution. “The case with regard to Pakistan should be self-evident to those who generously open their pockets to bail out this country,” Misri said.
Pakistan’s terror links
Misri accused Pakistan of misusing international financial assistance, including IMF loans, to support military-intelligence operations and terrorist groups. He specifically pointed to Pakistan-based groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which have been linked to multiple attacks in India and are designated terrorist entities under UN sanctions.
Highlighting the role of The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of LeT, Misri stated, “This is a group that is a known front for the well-known Pakistan-based terrorist organisation, Lashkar-e-Taiba.” He added that India had already shared critical intelligence with the UN 1267 Sanctions Monitoring Committee and would soon update its dossier.
Pak funding terrorism
The Indian foreign secretary’s remarks come amid growing global unease over the potential misuse of IMF funds. Misri argued that financial aid may be indirectly aiding Pakistan’s hostile activities. “Pakistan’s reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in many instances… I don’t need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr,” he said, referring to Pakistan’s controversial handling of terrorists operating on its soil.