The trouble of Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government has only been seen mounting as he has reportedly applied for a hefty loan from China.
Amid the looming no-confidence vote and the crumbling economic situation in Pakistan, the troubles of Prime Minister Imran Khan-led administration seems to mount as reports suggest he applied for a hefty loan from China. According to local media reports, Khan has requested Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to further “refinance” an RMB 15 billion loan that was extended to the country three years ago for another 3 years on existing terms and conditions. In business, loan refinancing refers to the process of taking out a new loan to pay off one or more outstanding loans. In this situation, borrowers usually refinance in order to receive lower interest rates or to otherwise lower their repayment amount.
It is pertinent to mention here that China has provided several loans to Pakistan before the Imran Khan government came into power. However, the “legacy” of taking loans continued even during the incumbent Imran Khan administration. According to various media reports, the maximum loans were sanctioned by a consortium of Chinese banks, including the China Development Bank, Bank of China and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China.
These loans were taken by Islamabad to finance the trade between the two countries, especially projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as well as other earmarked projects.
The report further noted that the previous loan was provided for three years with maturity on March 25, 2022.
External debt of Pakistan ballooned to $90.12 billion in April 2021
It is pertinent to mention here that when Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in opposition, they had questioned the terms and conditions of CPEC projects and the lack of transparency surrounding them. However, when Imran Khan came into power in 2018, he too applied for several loans in a bid to run the country smoothly. Currently, the country has no way out but to pay the loans taken by the earlier administrations and the incumbent government.
According to an International Monetary Fund study, the external debt of Pakistan ballooned to $90.12 billion in April 2021, with Islamabad owing China USD 24.7 billion, or over 27% of the debt burden of Pakistan. According to the IMF, the burden of hidden and sovereign debts would be a major cause of concern for Pakistan in the coming days as the assets of Pakistan will be tied to the Chinese economy.