Miftah Ismail foresees tough electoral battle between Nawaz, Imran’s nominees

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail on Sunday claimed that voters would still lean on those candidates in the February 8 general elections who were chosen by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

Ismail, while talking to journalists at Lahore’s Alhamra, predicted a tough electoral battle between candidates backed by PML-N supremo and PTI founder in the forthcoming polls.

The disgruntled PML-N leader also criticised the Supreme Court’s verdict, terming it an “inappropriate decision” to strip the former ruling party of its iconic electoral symbol — ‘bat’ — ahead of the nationwide polls.

To a question regarding the ongoing privatisation of state-owned entities, the economist strongly favoured immediate selling of loss-making government institutions to the private sector which would be beneficial not only for economically and operationally paralysed organisations but also for the country.

He claimed that the fares of air travel would be dropped if Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is privatised.

Later in December last year, Ismail had dismissed media reports claiming that he was joining the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

In June, the disgruntled politician had announced that he was stepping down as PML-N's Sindh general secretary and all other party positions.

The politico had announced the decision after months of bitterness over his removal and the subsequent appointment of Ishaq Dar as the finance minister in September 2022.

He announced his resignation from the party office in a letter to Ahsan Iqbal, the PML-N secretary general.

Since he relinquished the finance ministry portfolio, Ismail has been continuously criticising the current political system, with much of it aimed at his successor as he failed to steer the country out of the economic crisis.