Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Thursday that the additional burden will be lessened on the salaried person and manufacturing class.

Speaking to the foreign media, Aurangzeb said: “We are looking to scrape down the category of the non-filers. The additional burden on the salaried person and manufacturing class cannot be lessened without bringing the sectors of retailers, wholesalers, agricultural, and properties into the tax net.”

“We are not only having the data of the retailers and distributors but of every sector,” he added.

Talking about the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Aurangzeb said: “The United States is the biggest contributor to the IMF.

“Everything is taken into account in economic diplomacy,” he said.

He acknowledged the role of the friendly countries in the approval of the IMF programme for Pakistan. “The MF program has been approved due to the American and Chinese cooperation,” he added.

– IMF programme will lead to Pakistan's financial credibility: Arif Habib –

Earlier today, renowned businessperson Arif Habib said on Thursday that the IMF programme will lead to Pakistan's financial credibility.

Expressing his thoughts, Habib said: "The IMF deal has given the message that the friendly countries are standing with Pakistan. Pakistan will witness an increase in liquidity by getting $1 billion."

"The interest rate will go down with the increase in liquidity. It is due to the weakened economy that Pakistan had to approach the international lender."

"The IMF is of the view that you should prepare the budget in line with your capital," said Habib.