US Edition'Asim Munir & I go begging for money’: Pakistan PM admits economic crisis
- On Friday, January 30, 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said seeking foreign loans forced Pakistan to `bow its head` and announced relief measures including a PKR 4.04 per-unit electricity tariff cut.
- Heavy reliance on IMF programmes and repeated bailouts, currently on its 23rd, pushed Pakistan to seek external support as public debt exceeded Rs 76,000 billion by March 2025.
- China and regional partners stepped in with rollovers and deposits, including China’s $4 billion rollover and CPEC’s $60 billion investments, Saudi Arabia’s $3 billion deposit plus deferred oil payments, UAE’s $2 billion rollover, and Qatar’s $3 billion investments.
- Sharif warned that borrowing has real costs, saying reliance on international aid reflects serious structural weaknesses as poverty nears 45% and unemployment is around 7.1%.
- Analysts warn absent reforms, loans only cover interest while Pakistan's geopolitical rent fades and critics say Field Marshal Asim Munir's involvement blurs civilian-military boundaries.
14 Articles
14 Articles
'Our heads bow down in shame': Shehbaz Sharif says he feels ashamed for ‘begging’ money for Pakistan
Sharif’s candid admission regarding the 'humiliation' of borrowing underscores the country's persistent financial volatility and its reliance on global creditors as it pursues IMF packages and loan extensions.
‘Heads Bowed…’: Shehbaz Sharif admits Pakistan ‘begged for billions’, exposing debt crisis
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made a rare and blunt admission about his country’s deepening economic crisis, saying that he and Army Chief Asim Munir had to “beg for billions” from foreign nations to keep Pakistan afloat. Acknowledging the humiliation and loss of self-respect linked to seeking loans, Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s heavy dependence on IMF bailouts and friendly countries. His remarks expose the fragility of Pakistan’s …
'Asim Munir & I go begging for money’: Pakistan PM admits economic crisis
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif made a blunt admission, saying, “We are ashamed, begging for money.” He revealed that he and Army Chief Asim Munir have been travelling abroad to seek financial aid amid the country’s deepening economic crisis.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif admits 'begging for money' around the world, says 'we are ashamed'
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif openly admitted that he and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir have had to travel abroad seeking financial assistance. Speaking to top Pakistani exporters in Islamabad on Friday night, Sharif described the challenges faced by his government in managing the country’s faltering economy. Sharif painted a stark picture of Pakistan’s reliance on foreign loans. While the country’s foreign exchange reserves hav…
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