Sell your donkeys and girls to your iron brother.

"The technical teams of the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached an agreement on a bailout package for Pakistan, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh announced on Sunday." "Pakistan to receive $6 billion over three years," as well as, "$2-3 billion from World Bank, ADB etc", provided it carries out "decisive policies and reforms necessary for growth". Following the agreement the Pakistani rupee fell "3.6 percent on Thursday to close at 146.2 against the dollar in the interbank market, dropped further on Friday, dealers said, selling at 149.50 in the interbank market and 150 in the open market". A depreciating rupee will increase prices of imports and raise inflation. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said that inflation had "accelerated sharply from 3.8% in the first 8 months of FY18 to 6.5% in the same period in FY19", foreign exchange reserves were just $8.1 billion in February 2019 and GDP growth will fall to 3.9% in fiscal year 2019. The IMF helps countries in financial difficulties, but why is it necessary? In January the Eurasian Times reported that "Saudi Arabia and the Untied Arab Emirates (UAE) have already committed $6 billion worth of loans as well as $6.4 billion in oil credit to support Pakistan's balance of payments position. Then there is China with foreign exchange reserves of $3.073 trillion. "In China, Pakistan has a unique name of Batie, which means 'iron brother'. Meanwhile, in Pakistan the China-Pakistan relationship is described as 'higher than the mountain, deeper than the sea and sweeter than honey'," wrote Yao Jing. This 'higher, deeper, sweeter' iron brother offered just $2 billion to add to the mountain of debt that Pakistan already owes to China for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In January, the government apparently diverted Rs 24 billion "for discretionary spending on parliamentarians' schemes" from CPEC funds. Unfortunately, innocent donkeys have to pay for the government caught with its hands in the cookie jar, after African governments woke to the dangers posed by China. But, that is not enough. Chinese men are trafficking poor Pakistani Christian girls and treating them as slaves. China sent a 'task force' to Pakistan to help stop trafficking of women. "If Pakistan doesn't take the IMF loan, it is in a mess. If it takes the loan, it is in a bigger mess. Either way, the news is bad," wrote Prof S Akbar Zaidi. Can the IMF rescue Pakistan from the iron grip of the iron brother?