A day after seeking the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) supervision of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday called upon the Washington-based global lender, International Monetary Fund (IMF), to re-think funding to Pakistan.”..I believe Pakistan will spend a large portion of the funds received from the International Monetary Fund on terror infrastructure in its country….India wants IMF to re-think funding to Pakistan…”, Rajnath said.Rajnath Singh was addressing Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel in Gujarat’s Bhuj when he said “Any kind of financial assistance to Pakistan is nothing less than terror funding. The IMF should reconsider its decision.”The IMF had on May 9 approved a $1-billion share for Pakistan as part of its $7-billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) lending program and $1.3 billion share under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in its board meeting held Friday. India had abstained from voting in the meeting saying the fund could be misused for financing state-sponsored corss border terrorism.India’s opposition stems from its recent military conflict with Pakistan after a terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, on April 22.While addressing soldiers at the Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar on Thursday, Rajnath Singh pointed to Pakistan’s “irresponsible” conduct and urged that the neighbouring country’s nuclear arsenal must come under IAEA supervision.India had launched Operation Sindoor, that targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
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