ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Finance Ministry’s spokesperson has expressed disappointment over the assertions made by people with ulterior motives who have been twisting the facts regarding the award of “Best Finance Minister of the Year for 2016” to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar by Emerging Markets publication, said a press release.
The spokesman clarified that Finance ministers of other countries have also been receiving the said award in the past many years. He made it clear that Emerging Markets is a financial trade newsletter that gives awards every year to Finance ministers and governors of central banks.
Related: Ishaq Dar’s “Best Finance Minister of South Asia” fake? Shocking reality behind PML-N’s claim
The Press Release issued by the Ministry of Finance on 8th October 2016 had contained full correspondence with the said publication so as to avoid any misunderstanding. The same correspondence is being attached again with this press release.
Earlier, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission chief to Pakistan Herald Finger denied the reports that IMF had given Ishaq Dar as “Finance Minister of the year 2016 for South Asia award” .
Addressing newsmen via video link on Thursday, Herald Finger clarified that the organisation had no link with the magazine who gave the Award to Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
“The IMF is not involved with the Emerging Markets publication,” said Wafa Amr, IMF’s Washington-based media contact person for Pakistan. It was also revealed that five Pakistani state-owned enterprises funded the Emerging Markets edition that carried a supplement on Pakistan.
Although the ministry has somewhat clarified its position still it has kept mum over the assumptions that the newsletter was not related to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank in any way contrary to the claims of the government.