By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Soon after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s strict warning to critics of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar from within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) ranks, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday advised former financial czar Miftah Ismail — a vocal critic of his successor — to express his reservation at the party forum.
The premier, while addressing the central general council meeting of the party where he was re-elected as the president of the PML-N, said: “Those people within the party pulling his [Dar’s] leg have no right to remain part of the PML-N.”
In his recent salvo against Dar, the former finance minister on June 9 said that the budget 2023-24 is in line with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) demands and not very expansionary. Dar, however, claimed that he presented “a responsible budget, not an election budget”.
Miftah had said that the way the government was increasing taxes and giving money to the provinces, this budget was not sustainable.
Earlier, The ex-finance minister claimed that his successor ran campaigns against him for more than six months as he could not tolerate someone else from the party as the finance minister. The PML-N leader said Dar is closer to Nawaz Sharif because his son is married to Nawaz’s daughter and was with him in London.
It is pertinent to mention here that Dar replaced Miftah in September last year.
Since being replaced by his party colleague as finance minister, Miftah has been criticising the incumbent government’s economic policies.
Reacting to his recent statements, the defence minister said: “Miftah criticises the party on a daily basis.”
Good and bad times come on the political parties but leaders should stand with the party, he advised the former financial czar.
The party appointed Miftah as the finance minister, Asif said, adding that he should not take it seriously if the party does not accept some of his suggestions.
