PM Shehbaz accepts Miftah’s resignation

ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (SABAH): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) senior leader Miftah Ismail.

During the meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif, Miftah resigned from the portfolio of finance minister and submitted his resignation to PM Shehbaz, while the premier accepted Miftah’s resignation.

On this occasion, Miftah expressed his views and said, “It is a matter of pride for me to work under your [PM Shehbaz’s] leadership.”

Earlier on Sunday, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting in London to discuss the ongoing situation in the country and measures taken by the sitting coalition government.

The meeting was also attended by former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Marryium Aurangzeb, Miftah Ismail, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Ahad Cheema.

A day earlier, Dar returned to Pakistan after five years in self-exile. He is expected to be sworn in, first as a senator and then as minister for finance, today.

Ismail’s departure comes after months of speculation that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Dar had been unhappy with some of his key decisions, specifically with regard to the fuel price hike.

Last month, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said she did not agree with the decision to hike petrol and electricity prices, saying she did not own such decisions, whether her party was in government or not.

On Sunday, in a meeting with senior party leaders in London, Ismail said he had “verbally” resigned from his post. A statement released after the meeting confirmed that Nawaz and PM Shehbaz had nominated Dar as the new finance minister.