Ishaq Dar all set to become new financial czar
Miftah Ismail on Sunday tendered his resignation as the finance minister to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in line with the party’s decision as senior PML-N leader Ishaq Dar is all set to become the country’s new financial czar.
The decision was made during a meeting of PML-N leaders in London, including Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and others. During the session, several issues related to the country were also discussed in detail.
According to a PML-N spokesperson, during the meeting, Miftah handed over his resignation to Nawaz and thanked him for giving him a chance to lead the ministry.
While accepting his resignation, Nawaz Sharif praised Miftah’s efforts and the way he carried out his duties at a time when the country was facing an economic crisis.
PML-N leader Ishaq Dar will be replacing Miftah as the finance minister, while Miftah will also remain part of the government.
As decided by the two party leaders, Dar will assume charge as the finance minister on Tuesday, September 27.
“I worked to the best of my ability for four months, and remained loyal to the party and the country,” the PML-N statement quoted Miftah as saying during the meeting.
During the huddle, PM Shehbaz and party supremo Nawaz nominated Dar as the new finance minister of the country. The participants of the meeting were of the view that the incumbent government had to “put out the fire of economic disaster” caused by the previous PTI-led regime.
Dar, the senator-elect, is likely to take oath as the finance minister as early as the coming Tuesday. Miftah’s term as the finance minister is ending on October 27 as he could only serve for six months as an outsider.
He either needed to be elected as a member of the National Assembly or Senate to continue holding his portfolio. However, there was no such plan under consideration at the moment.
“The PML-N thinks that it will change his [Miftah’s] portfolio, but he will resign,” a minister accompanying PM Shehbaz to London shared.
The minister added that Miftah would not opt for another portfolio as he was a respectable man. The minister said Nawaz would be back in Pakistan to campaign before the next general elections.
He revealed that the party had convinced Nawaz to return before it was too late – a development that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also confirmed at a news conference on Saturday held in Lahore.
Meanwhile, Ishaq Dar will return to Pakistan along with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The PML-N supremo suggested Dar leave with the PM, as he will have to return eventually.
Ishaq Dar, himself, had told a news channel in an interview that he would be coming back to Pakistan along with PM Shehbaz on Sunday and will take oath as Senator on Tuesday, adding that after the decision of PML-N bigwigs, he would take oath as Finance Minister on Wednesday.
