ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties on Wednesday demanded that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar should resign in the wake of his indictment by an accountability court. Dar pleaded not guilty before the court, which is hearing a reference against him for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.
PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters the finance minister should resign immediately for the sake of the country’s economy. He added that Dar’s focus would now be diverted towards the case, not allowing him to look after his ministry properly.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Saleem Mandviwalla also demanded that Dar should step down. “We [PPP] had recommended during a meeting of a Senate committee that the finance minister should resign but PML-N didn’t agree to it,” he maintained. At a separate press conference, PPP leader Sherry Rehman, pointing out the indictment of Dar, said Nawaz Sharif was creating unrest in the country. “Nawaz Sharif isn’t trying to save democracy … he’s trying to save his own skin,” she added.
Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid went a step further by saying that it was a matter of great embarrassment for Pakistan that its finance minister was involved in money laundering.
Published in Daily Times, September 28th 2017.
