Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 10 (ANI): AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a scathing criticism of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its approval of a USD 1 billion loan to Pakistan, despite its track record of sponsoring terrorism.

Referring to the recent IMF loan of USD 1 billion to Pakistan, Owaisi called it 'a loan to a militant organisation,' warning that the funds will not serve the Pakistani people but instead fuel cross-border terrorism against India.

Criticising global silence, particularly from the US, Germany, and Canada, Owaisi said, 'The West knows Pakistan funds terror, and yet they stay quiet. That USD 1 billion won't go toward eradicating poverty, fighting polio, or empowering women--it will be aimed at destabilising India.'

Owaisi said, 'Pakistan is a failed state, and the world must wake up to the danger it poses. Its nuclear arsenal must be disarmed--these weapons are a threat to all of humanity.'

Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said, 'Osama Bin Laden had been found taking shelter in a military area, and he was given support, all the support by the military established in Pakistan. Pakistan is a failed state. It is high time that not only the Western world but every nation in the world should rise and ensure that the nuclear bombs that Pakistan possesses should be disarmed. They are a threat to the entire humankind. They have been using terrorism to destabilise India.'

Owaisi said that efforts must be made to ensure that Pakistan is 'grey-listed' in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is an intergovernmental organisation engaged in combating terrorist financing.

'The 26/11 happened in Mumbai. The Indian investigative agencies went to Pakistan and gave them all the proof against the involvement of LeT and how they were trained by the ISI and the Pakistan military. They didn't proceed, but once Pakistan was brought into the grey list of the FATF, all the criminal trials started to proceed. Pakistan is hell bent on destabilising a country which has a population of 130 crore. A country that has the fifth largest economy in the world, how can the other countries in the world sit and watch this happen?' stated Owaisi.

The AIMIM chief also slammed the International Monetary Fund's approval of a USD 1 billion loan to Pakistan, terming it 'extremely unfortunate.'

'It is very unfortunate that the IMF has sanctioned a loan of 1 billion dollars. I would call it a loan to the militant organisation over there. Unfortunately, the US, Germany, and Canada have kept quiet when they know for a fact that it is Pakistan that is promoting, financing terrorism against India. And this money, mark my words, it will never be used to eradicate poverty, or to ensure that the polio rates in Pakistan come down, it will never be used for women's empowerment in Pakistan, or for education. It will be used only for promoting terrorist activities against India. That is the most unfortunate.'

On Friday, IMF approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform programme under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), enabling a disbursement of approximately USD 1 billion.

India, however, firmly opposed providing funds to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism, warning that such support carries reputational risks for global institutions and undermines international norms.

In a post on X, the IMF said, 'IMF Board approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the EFF, enabling a disbursement of ~ USD 1 billion, reflecting strong programme implementation which has contributed to continuing economic recovery.

'India abstained from the recent IMF vote on approving a loan to Pakistan, not due to a lack of opposition, but because IMF rules do not permit a formal 'no' vote, sources added.

Meanwhile, India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an 'act of war' against India and will be responded to accordingly, the top government sources said. (ANI)