Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has said the government approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout package to run its smooth functioning.

Talking to a private news channel, he said at present the country is short of some 12 billion dollars as 28 to 30 billion dollars per annum are required to run the country's affairs, and that gap could be bridged through the IMF package.

Fawad Chaudhry said effective measures are being taken to provide relief to the poor people.

Replying to a question, he said the opposition is crying hoarse to escape from corruption cases. However, the government could not be pressured and it would go till the last end to get the corrupt punished.

He said investigations were underway regarding transactions of billion of rupees in accounts of common people.

Replying to another question about China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Minister for Information said China is not only Pakistan economic partner, but also a strategic one.