Shahid Khaqan, Miftah Ismail launch ‘Awaam Pakistan Party,’ with a pledge to change the governance system of the country

ISLAMABAD, July 06 (SABAH): Ending months of speculation about the formation of a new political party, former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Dr. Miftah Ismail Ahmed launched ‘Awaam Pakistan Party,’ with a pledge to change the governance system of the country and deny political space to the “tainted” politicians.

“Politicians with tainted reputations won’t be a part of Awaam Pakistan Party,” said Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who served as prime minister during the PML-N’s 2013-18 tenure for 10 months after disqualification of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, at the press conference in Islamabad flanked by Miftah Ismail and ex-PML-N leader Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi.

The party’s launch came months after Khaqan and Ismail parted ways from the ruling party following their differences with the leadership.

Giving rise to speculations about a new political platform, Shahid Khaqan in April approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the registration of a new party.

In a hard-hitting press conference on Saturday, the former prime minister bashed the incumbent government, saying that those won elections on the basis of “Form-47” can’t build the country.

“We are just concerned about power, not about the country. Parties keep forming in Pakistan for specific purposes,” he said, adding that they had not invited anyone to join the newly-launched Awaam Pakistan Party. Electables are part of the politics but not acceptable, he added.

Without naming anyone, the ex-prime minister said that he and his fellow leaders remained a part of a particular political party in good or bad times but couldn’t be a part of it anymore just for the sake of power. “The government consists of a handful of elites who don’t want to change the system,” Shahid Khaqan added. 

Speaking at the occasion, Miftah Ismail came hard on the existing system in the country saying that “predatory” set-up cannot continue.

“Are you running East India Company,” he said, adding that the “system of the hunter and the hunted cannot continue”.

Lambasting the federal government for its budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, the ex-finance czar said that those earning merely Rs50,000 per month are asked to pay tax, but no tax is demanded from the one owning thousands of acres of land.

“The tax on the salaried class has been doubled in the budget […] the middle class is being crushed,” Miftah Ismail said, stressing that the budget in essence is a reflection of the ruling elite’s priorities.

Referring to the recently announced anti-terrorism drive “Operation Azm-e-Istehkam,” the politician said: “Today we are going to conduct another operation […] why these operations are needed again and again because you cannot end poverty.”