New Delhi: The decision of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to approve yet another bailout – this time a $1.1 billion tranche – for Pakistan has ignited a firestorm of criticism and laid bare the West’s blatant double standards. A nation accused of nurturing terrorism has once again been rewarded, while India’s protests are brushed aside. The bailout is not just financial, it is a moral failure.
Lokesh Ahuja, an IIM Mumbai alumnus, has drawn sharp attention to the issue with a hard-hitting LinkedIn post, which has since gone viral. He contrasts the West’s punishing response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with its lenient treatment of Pakistan. “Russia faced 10,000+ sanctions. Pakistan gets $1.1B from the IMF. Same playbook. Different treatment,” he wrote.
When Russia attacked Ukraine, the West moved swiftly – $300 billion in reserves frozen, SWIFT access cut and global brands pulled out within days. But when Pakistan funnels funds to terror groups across South Asia, it gets international aid. “If the war is near Berlin, it is urgent. If it is near Delhi, it is… negotiable,” Ahuja said, emphasising the indifference shown towards India’s security concerns.
He also points to the IMF’s internal structure, which remains heavily tilted towards the old guard. The United States dominates the fund with nearly 17% voting power – enough to wield veto authority.
France, Germany, the United Kingdom and China also sit at the top. Despite being the world’s most populous nation and a rapidly growing economy, India holds a mere 2.7% share.
Voting rights at the IMF are tied to a quota system based on economic size and contributions, not population or global influence. This system ensures that legacy powers maintain control, while emerging economies like India struggle for representation. Reforms need 85% approval, making significant change practically impossible without U.S. consent.
“IMF decisions are not just about economics. They reflect proximity, power and priorities,” he wrote.
India has raised strong objections, warning that the funds may be misused by Pakistan to fuel cross-border terrorism. But the same international systems, which claim to defend democracy and stability, continue to insulate Islamabad from consequences.
Pakistan’s long track record of diverting foreign aid to its military and terror proxies is no secret. But geopolitical convenience trumps accountability. Obsessed with preserving outdated alliances, Western nations continue to bail out a nation that threatens regional peace.
Meanwhile, India – which confronts the fallout of Pakistan’s proxy war, remains unheard and sidelined. Ahuja’s post captures a growing sentiment across the Indian people and strategic community that global governance is not broken, it is rigged.
Until the world sees a terror strike in Delhi with the same urgency it saw missiles in Kyiv, the hypocrisy will persist. The IMF’s latest bailout is not just a payout to Pakistan, it is a slap in the face to every nation battling terror alone.
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