Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Scraps US Visit in Light of Political Turmoil

Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, announced on Saturday that he has cancelled his trip to Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, due to the political situation in the country. However, he stated that he would still attend important bilateral and multilateral meetings virtually and that a Pakistani delegation would be present in Washington. Pakistan is at risk of defaulting on its debt with an IMF bailout programme stalled since November, and a political dispute between the government and former prime minister Imran Khan. Dar stated that the crisis had been compounded by a recent Supreme Court order striking down plans to delay elections to two provincial assemblies scheduled for next month. The order has created a standoff between the government and the court.