'Respect comes at a price': Shehbaz Sharif makes BIG confession, admits Pakistan compromised for loans

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again lamented the country's economic woes. A video of his statement is circulating on social media, but it is unclear when and where it was recorded. In the video, he is shown saying at an event how he had to pay a price in terms of dignity while seeking loans from other countries.

He admitted that he had to make many compromises to secure loans for Pakistan. Shehbaz also highlighted the difference between the borrower and the lender, saying that sometimes he had to fulfill the wishes of the lenders even against his will.

What has Shehbaz Sharif said?

In the video, Shehbaz Sharif said, "How do I explain how we went to friendly countries and requested loans, and those friendly countries did not disappoint us. But, you know that the one who goes to borrow money has his head bowed. And then there are the accusations that follow, you are well aware of them. I want to tell you here, without any hesitation, that I, and silently, along with Field Marshal, went to several countries and told them that there is an IMF program and this is our external gap. Please give us so many billion dollars."

"I am extremely grateful to those friendly countries that accepted our demands, but you know that when someone goes to ask for something, they have to pay a price in terms of their dignity. They have to compromise. And sometimes, if some wish comes from somewhere, even if they don't want to implement it, they have to bear the burden of fulfilling that wish."

What is Pakistan's total debt?

Pakistan has long been burdened by debt. In December 2025, Pakistan's total debt was reported to be US$52.366 billion. This represents an increase from the previous figure of US$47.071 billion for November 2025. According to the fiscal policy presented in Pakistan's parliament, the debt burden on every Pakistani increased by 13% in the last fiscal year, reaching 333,000 rupees. The per capita debt was 294,098 rupees in the fiscal year 2023-24.