Pakistan resorts to begging bowl - IMF loan announced

Good analysis. This brings up a question. Why other governments were able to avoid IMF. And especially in case of 2004 Musharraf government, how were they able to get off IMF handouts?

I mean in any government wether Bhutto or non-Bhutto, Pakistan has to live. Right?

And in order to live, we have

Yearly expenses = X
Yearly income = Y

If X is more than Y, we have to get the difference X-Y from someone. If Bhuttos took this X-Y from IMF, and others didn't, then there must be a reason. Did non-Bhutto governments go to someone other than IMF?

I mean was X not greater than Y in case of non-Bhuto governments? If not, why? Did they reduce X or increase Y? If X was reduced then how, or if Y was increased then how?

To make this problem simpler, we can stick to 2004 Musharraf government.

Thanks.