Interim Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar on Thursday termed the Budget 201819 presented by the former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government “unrealistic”. Speaking to media, Akhtar said that facts and figures in the budget were a matter of “concern”. She also commented on the prevalent economic conditions, saying that work on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) project was underway and the incoming government would be apprised of the same. She said terming the IMF programme “bailout” was not correct. Akhtar added that fiscal and current account deficit had exceeded the targets, and that there was a need to bring economic stability in the country. Unnecessary expenses need to be cut down to meet SDG targets, she added. In an apparent response to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’ statement on the IMF bailout plan, Akhtar said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor had nothing to do with the IMF programme. Pompeo had warned IMF against providing funds to Pakistan to pay off Chinese lenders. Published in Daily Times, August 3rd 2018.