KARACHI-Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin has said that a cartel of bankers were involved in manipulation of dollar and rupee exchange rate. He stressed that State Bank would take action against the cartel. Tarin stated this while talking to media men on his arrival at the Jinnah International airport here on Wednesday. He said that the former govt had artificially stabilised the value of rupee against the dollar at Rs 62 over the period of five years. Tarin claimed that no Pakistani bank would face default and there would be no freezing of currency accounts and lockers. 'It will be done over my dead body as long as I am on the page', he vowed. He assured that problems directly related to the devaluation of rupee against the dollar would be resolved by next week. He termed the rumours of freezing of accounts as baseless and clarified that neither the bank lockers nor Foreign Currency Accounts had being seized. He blamed a certain lobby in banking sector responsible for the recent sinking value of rupee against the dollar and ,added, that he talked to the Governor SBP to take action against the lobby. He further said that those who had acquired huge amount of dollars through manipulation would be brought to justice. Tarin also poured cold water on the hopes of stock members by saying that price floor was a wrong move and would be removed very soon. He said that he would leave no stone unturned to attract foreign investment and his visit to US was significant in this regard. Commenting on the economic melt down, the adviser said that there was a crisis of confidence which needed to be checked immediately, because it risked further destabilisation of the economy. APP adds: Shaukat Tarin left for Washington on Wednesday a 10-day official visit. During his visit, he will meet the World Bank and IMF officials. It is his first foreign visit after assuming the charge as Adviser to PM on Finance. Tarin is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Governor State Bank of Pakistan Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Secretary Finance and Economic Affairs Divisions. During his different meetings abroad, he would discuss the borrowing facilities for the country and the agenda of the 'Friends of Pakistan' meeting to be held in Abu Dhabi next month. Meanwhile,in an exclusive interview with APP after taking charge as Adviser, he said that the govt would enhance the confidence of investors through concrete steps and alleviation of poverty would be among the top most priorities. He said that he would come up to the expectations of President Asif Ali Zardari who reposed confidence in his abilities. He said that the govt would devise a special strategy to alleviate poverty from the country and would increase annual growth rate by promoting agriculture and industry, adding, that special steps would be taken to promote agricultural sector. He said the new strategy would keep special focus on increasing national exports and decreasing imports by enhancing dependence on the domestic products to save foreign reserves more and more. 'We can afford decline in annual economic growth rate but no increase in national imports', he added. He said on his return from the US visit, he would help restore the confidence of the investors to assure them that the economic reforms would continue and no basic change would be made in the economic policies of the country. He said not only the local, but also the foreign investors would be taken into confidence to establish the fact that the govt was business-friendly. 'The govt is striving to resolve all the issues confronting the local industry and it would welcome the positive suggestions and recommendation from the business community in this regard', he added. The Advisor said that Pakistan was not facing that financial crisis like some other countries because our banking system was on sound footing.