ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s decision to payback $ 3.5 billion to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is not problematic for Islamabad as its forex reserves now standing at around $ 22 billion are adequate enough to cater for imports of the country for six months and all media talks to this effects linking it to any negative development between two friendly countries are nothing more than media mongering , said All Pakistan Currency Dealers Association (APCDA) chairman ,Malik Bostan khan on Monday.
‘Its unfortunate that those commenting on this sensitive issues are either ignorant or involved in creating environment of confusion aimed at straining of bilateral ties with UAE, a long time tested friend of Pakistan through every thick and thin situation”, Mr Bostan said while talking to NEWSMAN on the issue.
Mr Bostan Khan is a hardcore pro Pakistani as he always speaks in the national interest. His comments on the government‘s decision to payback $ 3.5 billion to UAE within the current month are of extraordinary significance.
Mr Bostan reminded to those who are navigating through their poor flight of imaginations on the issue in hand to attract their viewers that paying back of $ 3.5 billion deposits by Pakistan was primarily scheduled for February 17 this year and on Islamabad ‘s request this timeline was extended by UAE to April 17, 2026.
He said “ Some times our media commentators try to find truth from their wishes and hence create confusion in the society without taking into consideration how much their incorrect and false version could harm the national interest”,
We as a nation need to understand that baseless commentary on issues like one of repayment of funds parked by UAE to strengthen Pakistan’s fragile forex reserves could hurt the national interests”.
The issue of payback of deposited $ 3.5 billion to UAE had sparked debate in Pakistan last week when some media commentators started to attach it with the ME war. Those who interpreted the statement of the Finance Division to their own thoughts related it to UAE demand and gave impression that the return of funds to UAE would push Pakistan to a default- like situation again.
Top currency dealer rejected these impressions and reminded to the hawkish media commentators that Pakistan at the moment was in a comfortable position to return deposited funds to UAE.
Mr Bostan said return of funds to UAE within the scheduled timeline shows healthy financial position of Pakistan and I, nstead of finding rats in it, the hawkish media commentators must prefer national interests over their mindboggling.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office and Finance Division is issuing clarifications on daily basis to make the record correct that return of deposited $ 3.5 billion to UAE is a routine matter and it , in any case, does not reflect anything bad to Pakistan’s relations with UAE. Despite these official clarifications, some media mongers are regularly pushing their agenda of creating confusion among the masses through false and baseless claims to this matter.
UAE and some other friendly Muslim countries had come forward to help save Pakistan from imminent default a couple of years ago when Islamabad’s forex reserves had gone down to a dangerous level. Pakistan always holds great respect to these helpful Muslim countries and its commitment to payback huge some of $ 3.5 billion could be a good move to help reduce financial cost on borrowed deposits. There is a great need that the media mongers should take this decision of Pakistan in a good sense.