Omar hits out at IMF for reimbursing Pak for devastating J-K’s border areas

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday hit out at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for granting the loan to Pakistan, claiming that it would enable Pakistan to devastate the border areas of the Union Territory that have seen cross-border shelling.

The IMF cleared a USD 1-billion tranche for Pakistan as part of its USD 7-billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) lending program and USD1.3 billion tranche under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in its board meeting held on Friday. India abstained from the vote and registered a ‘strong dissent’.

“I’m not sure how the ‘International Community’ thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar & so many other places,” Omar said in a post on X.

Over the last two weeks, tension along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has escalated in the wake of Pahalgam attack. The armies of India and Pakistan have been exchanging fire since April 24. At least 20 civilians, including a senior J&K Government officer, have been killed in Pakistani shelling.