Dar agreed to resign and then changed mind

LONDON: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar agreed to resign from his position but changed his mind and has decided to stay on -- a decision which has irked senior leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

A trusted source has told this reporter that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asked Ishaq Dar to resign because of his absence from Pakistan due to his medical treatment, revealed the source, who confided that the PM asked Dar to resign after speaking to PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

It has been learnt reliably that PM Abbasi asked Ishaq Dar to step aside in the view of the current circumstances -- to which Ishaq Dar initially agreed. “Ishaq Dar agreed that he will resign and there are several witnesses who can couch for that,” said the source.

The source, on condition of anonymity, revealed that Shahbaz Sharif robustly reasoned with Ishaq Dar that he should step aside as his absence from Pakistan didn’t send a good message and that the PM was right in his demand that Dar should step aside. The matter was discussed in detail with former Nawaz Sharif who advised that it was right that Ishaq Dar should resign and that an economic advisory council should be formulated to run affairs related to economy, said the source. He added that Nawaz Sharif suggested that till next general elections this economic advisory council, comprised of around five members, shall run financial affairs of the country under the guidance of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The source said it was decided that Ishaq Dar will resign over the weekend and Dar had agreed but he backtracked on his promise stating that his resignation will send a wrong message. “This happened after names for the economic council were finalised and a way forward agreed. Ishaq Dar’s decision to stay on has not gone down well within the circle of senior PML-N leadership,” shared the source.

Ishaq Dar has been in London now for around a month. He has attended clinics on Harley Street and has been admitted for treatment. Sources have told that Ishaq Dar has been advised by the doctors to take rest and make return plans to Pakistan upon the completion of his treatment.

The News has learnt that Nawaz Sharif is set to reach London early next week for a week and he will hold talks with Ishaq Dar. The source said that Nawaz Sharif is of the view that Ishaq Dar should step aside and once he has spoken to him in London about it he will definitely take his advice and move on.

A corruption reference pertaining to Dar's owning assets disproportionate to his known sources of income was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 judgment in the Panama Papers case. Ishaq Dar has denied any wrongdoing.