Tarin’s race against time to become senator

ISLAMABAD: The fate of Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin hangs in the balance as only 25 days are left to get him elected Senator --- a prerequisite to continue as Finance Minister.

Now Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has decided to take up this issue with Prime Minister Imran Khan to end rumors and uncertainties about it. It is relevant to mention that the six months’ time limit for electing him a member of parliament is going to expire on Oct 16, 2021. If the government decides not to elect him Senator till the deadline, he will have to become an adviser to PM on Finance. In such a scenario, the government will have to choose a political face for this key position.

Four finance ministers have been changed in the last three years of the PTI. When asked about his fate as the time-limit for electing him a member of parliament is nearing, Federal Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin replied that he was going nowhere as he had full faith that PM Imran Khan would elect him Senator. Sources close to Mr Tarin say that he has decided to take up this issue with the premier.

The minister also confirmed to this scribe that he was scheduled to visit Washington DC to attend the annual meeting of the IMF/World Bank from Oct 12, 2021. Now the government would have to elect him before his departure for attending IMF/WB meetings outside the country.

The government had de-seated Ishaq Dar with an intention to elect Mr Tarin to this vacant seat but the matter had ended up in the court. Now the government will have to vacate any seat from the Punjab, KP or Sindh but so far no decision has been known. Shaukat Tarin’s close aides said that he might be elected to the Senate in the first 10 days of October.