India, Jan. 31 -- Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that those who go to seek loans have to "keep their head bowed down," acknowledging the financial hardships Islamabad has faced in recent times.

Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad honouring the country's eminent businessmen and exporters, Sharif said that seeking foreign loans has forced Pakistan to make compromises at the "cost of self-respect".

"How should I tell the way we requested friendly countries for loans? The friendly countries didn't disappoint us. But the one who goes to seek a loan, his head is bowed down," news agency PTI quoted Sharif as saying.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader touched on the country's economic condition when his party came...