PESHAWAR: Former senator and Awami National Party central leader Ilyas Ahmad Bilour on Tuesday rejected the appointment of the International Monetary Fund`s economist as the State Bank of Pakistan`s governor and insisted that the government`s move was part of the loan agreement with the IMF.

In a statement here, the ANP leader said the SBP`s top appointment meant that the government had surrendered its authority to run the country`s economic affairs.

He said the appointment of a man with dual nationality as the SBP governor was another U-turn of the prime minister, who had always spoken against dual nationality holders in politics and bureaucracy.

Mr Bilour said by accepting the IMF`s loan conditions, the government risked national sovereignty as it would take all economic decisions as desired by the IMF.

He said former military ruler, retired General Pervez Musharraf had imported Shaukat Aziz from the US as the finance minister, who was later elevated as the country`s prime minister. The ANP leader said Prime Minister Imran Khan was following in the footsteps of Musharraf to harm national interests by appointing IMF employees to important positions in the country.

He said the government was under severe pressure of the IMF as the dual nationality holder, Dr Reza Baqir, was provided with Pakistani national identity card on May 4, 2019, to assume the SBP governor`s office.-Bureau Report