'Our heads bow down in shame': Pak PM Sharif says he has gone 'begging for money' with Munir

Pakistan has been a country plagued with financial problems, which is evident with the huge amount of International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans it has on itself and the criticism it has received from political opponents and people of the country for the debts it owes to various other countries like China.

This was made even more obvious by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif when he admitted that he and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir have travelled abroad on several occasions to seek financial help from other countries and how embarrassed they have been.

“We feel ashamed when Field Marshal Asim Munir and I go around the world begging for money. Taking loans is a huge burden on our self-respect. Our heads bow down in shame. We cannot say no to many things they want us to do," said Sharif while addressing top Pakistani exporters in Islamabad on Friday night.

He also pointed out that the country’s foreign exchange reserves had almost doubled, but that includes loans taken from other countries.

“The current situation is that the reserves of the foreign exchange have almost doubled. But the loans of our friends and countries are included. But you know that the one who goes to take a loan, his head is bowed," he added.

Notably, Pakistan is again in talks with International Monetary Fund for help to support an economic growth plan that looks to stabilise the country.

Both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir were in Davos earlier this month where they signed the documents supporting Board of Peace (BoP) floated by Trump to oversee Gaza reconstruction. To make it a more recognisable body, Trump has invited several countries including India to join as members.

The founding executive committee features high-profile figures like US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff, World Bank President Ajay Banga, billionaire Marc Rowan, and adviser Robert Gabriel.