ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Miftah Ismail castigated PTI leadership after Shaukat Tarin allegedly asked Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to withdraw from International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal. Revelations came to fore in an audio leak where ex-finance minister could be heard directing Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra to cite recent floods as a core reason for withdrawing from deal.

KP government which is completely under PTI’s control has already written letter, but Punjab which PTI rules in coalition with PML-Q is yet to write it. In a press conference after leaked audio surfaced, Mifath said at this time, Pakistan is drowning and only hope after God is international money lender. “Shaukat Tarin is architect behind PTI’s move. Is Imran Khan so power-hungry that he will do anything to get back? Is Imran Khan bigger than Pakistan?” “Should we rename Pakistan to Bani Gala? Have they no shame? How can they stoop so low?” finance minister questioned. Miftah said KP finance minister had told him that he had not sent letter in which he pulled out from IMF deal to lender. “Have some shame I verified it, letter was sent to IMF.” He said coalition government took tough steps, but it was all to save country from default. “Some PML-N leaders including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Nawaz Sharif were against coming into power.” “You have crossed all lines this time,” he told PTI.

In leaked audio, Tarin can be heard asking Leghari to tell lender that commitment Punjab made was pre-floods and now province “cannot honour it”. “You need to say now that ‘we will not be able to honour our commitment’,” Tarin said, telling Leghari that this is all he wants for pressure to increase on incumbent government. PTI leader told finance minister to draft a letter and send it to him for vetting so it could be sent to federal government and later on to IMF representative in Pakistan. At Tarin’s request, Leghari asked whether Pakistan would suffer if Punjab largest province of Pakistan withdraws from deal. In another leaked audio, Tarin can be heard asking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra if he had written letter. “I am on way. I have previous letter. I will send letter to you after drafting it,” replied KP finance minister. “First point of letter would be that we need huge financial aid for restoration of infrastructure and rehabilitation of flood affectees,” Tarin tells KP finance minister, adding that he has already briefed Punjab’s finance minister about it. “By the way, this is a blackmailing tactic,” he said, adding that nobody leaves money.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 30 2022

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