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Question of Abuse in Pakistan by IMF Official Sidelined by IMF-DC, Belated Investigation and Jamaican Platitudes

UNITED NATIONS, June 3, updated -- The IMF, despite claims of increased transparency, picks and chooses which press questions to answer or even acknowledge. Based on recent evidence, those excluded involve poorer countries, and the IMF's own scandals.

  On May 26, Inner City Press asked the IMF in writing "how does the violence in Jamaica impact the IMF's program with the country, and on the IMF's view of the country's economic prospects?" But the IMF never answered, even when the question was repeated.

So, during the IMF's June 3 fortnightly press briefing, Inner City Press submitted the question, plus one about charges against the IMF's Resident Representative in Pakistan, Paul Ross. But the IMF's David Hawley, while taking other online questions, never mentioned these two.

Immediately after the abbreviated IMF briefing, an IMF staffer belatedly offered answers, but only to the Jamaica question. It was as if the Pakistan question about Mr. Paul Ross was never asked, simply did not exist.

First the Jamaica answer, then the Pakistan question and background:

"As regards Jamaica, you can attribute the following to an IMF spokesperson: 'We remain confident in the government’s economic program and its desire to implement the measures it has set out in this program.'"

Couldn't that platitude have been issued back on May 26? Or did the IMF not have confidence at that time?

Pakistan question Inner City Press twice submitted:

"On Pakistan, what would be the IMF's view of a 7% power tariff increase? Please provide IMF comment on the legal status of Pakistan Res Rep Paul Ross, and IMF position on domestic abuse."

While the IMF has previously deigned to answer questions about Pakistan power tariffs, once complained with a question about the accountability of the IMF's own officials, suddenly it is as if the question was never asked at all.

IMF's Paul Ross and wife Deena Shahata, accountability not shown

From the Guardian:

Immunity for British IMF chief over 'wife assault'

The British head of the International Monetary Fund in Islamabad has been accused of assaulting his wife by having her removed from the family home but he cannot be charged due to his “diplomatic immunity” status.

Deena Shehata, 28, claims she was “manhandled” and forced from her home by her husband Paul Ross, but police were unable to do anything because of her husband’s job status.

The couple married in July 2007 and moved to Pakistan a year later when Mr Ross, 51, from Wembley, was appointed the IMF’s Resident Representative in Pakistan, in charge of an $11 billion (£7.5 billion) economic stabilisation programme.

Holders of such posts usually carry a United Nations diplomatic passport.

The couple’s marriage allegedly broke down and Miss Shehata said she returned to their home — a smart two-storey villa, protected by guards and barbed wire, in an area of the city popular with wealthy expats — on Friday to collect some of her belongings. She alleges that her husband grew impatient before forcing her out of the house.

“I was humiliated as my husband asked our guards to remove me from my own home,” she wrote in a statement for police.

A doctor’s report detailed bruises, cuts and grazes and concluded she was “mentally depressed over [the] trauma, she is feeling helplessness and is scared.”

Miss Shehata, a British-born academic, said she was desperate to leave Pakistan as soon as possible.

She said she was disappointed at the way police handled the case, and that appeals for help to the IMF had not helped her find justice.

“The best solution they have is to get me out of here quickly and safely,” she said, adding that the system seemed to want her removed from the scene like a “broken toy” rather than questioning her husband.

Sub Inspector Abbas, the police officer dealing with the case said that as soon as they found out that Mr Ross had diplomatic status they abandoned the case. He said they took a statement from Miss Shehata and did not investigate any further.

Miss Shehata’s supporters said yesterday that they would take the case to Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs.

Asma Jahangir, a human rights lawyer, said: “This is an issue where there must not and should not be immunity for diplomats or any man.”

  Ms. Jahangir has held a UN special rapporteur post. So perhaps if the IMF won't even comment, the issue can be pursued through the UN, including on the question Laissez Passer passports. Watch this site.

Footnote: refusing or cherry picking online questions appears to be a hallmark of Mr. Hawley. He took no online questions, including one Inner City Press submitted about Pakistan, on February 18 of this year. The Sri Lanka question submitted was never answered. And so it goes at the IMF -- no accountability.

Update -- after expiration of the IMF's embargo and publication of the story above, the IMF belatedly provided a one line answer, and no explanation of why the question was barred from the briefing itself:

"Many thanks for your inquiry as regards Pakistan. You can attribute the answer below to an IMF spokesperson: 'We take any allegations related to staff conduct seriously and the Fund’s independent Ethics Advisor is investigating the facts.'"

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