Reluctant Pakistan Considers IMF Loan to Avoid Default
巴基斯坦考虑IMF贷款以还外债
Pakistan holds talks this week with the International Monetary Fund about what is expected to be an estimated $10 billion bailout package. With foreign currency reserves dwindling and the rupee trading at all time lows against the dollar, Pakistan is in danger of defaulting on its debt. The country's traditional donors are not offering any immediate aid.
本星期，巴基斯坦和国际货币基金组织举行会谈，主要讨论巴基斯坦预期接受的一百亿美元救助计划。由于外汇储备下降，以及卢比对美元的汇率降到历史最低点，巴基斯坦面临无法偿付国际债务的风险。而传统援助国现在没有向巴基斯坦提供任何帮助。
Pakistani officials say that because of the country's central role in the war against terrorism, shoring up its economy is an international priority.
巴基斯坦官员说，由于巴基斯坦在反恐战争中的重要地位，救助巴基斯坦经济是一项国际首要任务。
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters this week in Islamabad that he was optimistic the international community would come to Pakistan's aid.
巴基斯坦外长库雷西在伊斯兰堡对记者表示，他对于国际社会向巴基斯坦伸出援手感到乐观。
"The world is recognizing Pakistan's role to keep the world peaceful and secure and also recognizing the economic challenges and the human price Pakistan has paid to make the world a safer place," said Qureshi. "And the democratic government of Pakistan is projecting Pakistan's case on that platform."
“国际社会了解巴基斯坦在维护世界和平与安全方面扮演的角色，同时也了解巴基斯坦为了维护世界安全而承受的经济挑战并付出的人力代价。巴基斯坦民主政府正是基于这种原因来发出呼吁。”
But the country's traditional donors have not stepped-in to help. Last week, President Asif Zardari returned from China with pledges to help construct two nuclear power plants - but no direct aid. This week, the "Friends of Pakistan" meeting of several wealthy nations including the United States and Saudi Arabia, produced no plans to address the immediate problem of servicing Pakistan's debt.
巴基斯坦的传统援助国尚未出手相助。上个星期，巴基斯坦总统泽达里在中国访问期间，中国承诺帮助巴基斯坦建造两座核电站，但没有提供直接援助。本星期，包括美国、沙特阿拉伯在内的一些和巴基斯坦关系友好的富裕国家举行了会议，但是没有就帮助巴基斯坦偿付债务达成任何方案。
Former finance minister Zubair Khan says inaction by the current government and the global financial crisis have left Pakistan few options for meeting its estimated $3 billion in upcoming debt payments.
巴基斯坦前财政部长祖贝尔·坎恩说，现任政府的无所作为和席卷全球的金融危机让巴基斯坦对于即将到期的大约30亿美元债务束手无策。
"The worldwide financial crisis has already put strains on potential donor countries. Secondly, Pakistan has not come up with a viable economic program, which they would be ready to support," said Zubair. "I do not think anyone is ready to give just pure cash to Pakistan to do whatever it likes with it."
“全球金融危机已经让潜在的援助国承受了压力。其次，巴基斯坦没有制定出可行的、可以马上得到援助国支持的经济计划。我想，现在没有哪个国家愿意向巴基斯坦提供现金援助，让巴基斯坦想怎么花就怎么花。”
Zubair says seeking money from the IMF will force Pakistan's government to adopt badly needed financial reforms that should lead to longer-term financial stability.
贝尔说，从国际货币基金组织寻求资金可以迫使巴基斯坦政府实行急需的金融改革，这将有助于长期金融稳定。
But officials have been reluctant to apply for politically-unpopular IMF aid because its stringent financial conditions could hurt Pakistanis already reeling from high food and energy prices.
不过，巴基斯坦官员不愿意申请政治上不受欢迎的国际货币基金组织援助，因为这种援助附加的苛刻金融条件可能会使已经面临高昂食品和能源价格的巴基斯坦人处境更困难。
Sartaj Aziz, who served as finance minister under Nawaz Sharif in the 1990s, says an IMF loan could push the rupee even lower against the dollar, drive up unemployment and further raise utility prices. He says if officials can secure enough money from somewhere else to meet upcoming debt payments, Pakistan may be able to stabilize itself in the next year.
He says right now the problem is short term, because if there is the expected bumper food crop this year and oil prices stay low, then next year Pakistan can be out of the crisis.
Sartaj said one of the country's last opportunities to avoid accepting an IMF package appears to be President Zardari's trip to Saudi Arabia scheduled for the first week of November.
Saudi Arabia has already turned down requests to postpone payments for oil imports, casting doubt on the country's willingness to provide immediate aid.
Economists say Pakistan's financial problems have been developing for several years, but the seven-month-old government has done little to address them since taking office.
经济学家们说，巴基斯坦的金融问题已经发酵了几年时间，但是新政府在过去的七个月里几乎没有采取任何措施解决这个问题。
Now, facing a growing Taliban insurgency along its Afghan border and a gloomy international financial climate, Zubair Khan says the government may have no other choice but to accept the hardships of an IMF loan.
现在，面对阿富汗边境地区日益猖獗的塔利班反政府武装以及国际金融动荡，祖贝尔·坎恩说，政府除了接受条件苛刻的国际货币基金组织贷款之外可能没有其他选择。
"It was mostly for political reasons that they were trying to avoid going to the IMF, but now the time of reckoning has come and they have to go there," said Zubair Khan.
“巴基斯坦试图避开国际货币基金组织主要是基于政治原因。但现在，由于面临巨大的债务压力，他们必须和国际货币基金组织接触。”
Pakistani officials are meeting with IMF representatives this week in Dubai. Pakistan's finance ministry said IMF officials were scheduled to meet in Pakistan, but changed the venue because of security concerns.
巴基斯坦官员本星期将在迪拜和国际货币基金组织代表会晤。巴基斯坦财政部说，这次会晤原来计划在巴基斯坦境内进行，但国际货币基金组织出于安全考虑改变了地点。
