Khaqan Abbasi slams Suleman’s ‘jokers’ tweet

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and PMLN leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Thursday said the tweet posted by Suleman Shehbaz calling three former finance ministers, including Miftah Ismael, joker was inappropriate.

Speaking in Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”, PMLN leader said it was inappropriate to call a finance minister of a party a joker.

“If the joker tweet was posted by Suleman Shehbaz, it was inappropriate and he should clarify what the tweet meant”, he remarked. What Miftah Ismael did as finance minister was all on the directives of the prime minister and the cabinet.

In the tweet, Suleman had said, “The last 3 finance ministers were jokers. They ran a clown show!”

The PMLN leader told the programme host he had heard he was not happy with the party. “There is nothing of the sort. I am not leaving the party”, he clarified.

He opined there was no choice other than completing the IMF programme. “We have to prove we are a responsible country. Ishaq Dar is striving to control the situation”, he said. The PDM government took tough decisions for stability in the country at the cost of politics, he added.

Stressing the need for economic reforms, Abbasi said the government should take the rupee to its actual value. “The prices of gas, electricity and oil could not be kept lower than the purchase price. Berating the PTI-led former government, Abbasi said Imran Khan brought the country to the verge of default. “We are trying to correct the mistakes of the previous government”, he said.

The PMLN leader observed the return of Nawaz Sharif would make a difference in the elections. He hoped Nawaz Sharif would lead party’s election campaign.