ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Musadik Malik has denied reports of Ishaq Dar’s resignation, saying that until the Finance Minister resigns, all the reports of his replacement should be deemed as rumours.
“We have not yet shortlisted any candidate to spearhead the Finance Ministry,” Musadik Malik said on Saturday adding that Ishaq Dar is on leave due to illness, and the Finance Ministry is running its matters as per routine.
Earlier in the morning, mainstream media reported that the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has relinquished his Post as he embattles to fight his corruption cases in National Accountability Court (NAB) in pursuance of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s judgment in Panama Papers Case.
Sources said that the resignation of Ishaq Dar has been sent to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is now expected to assume the portfolio of Finance as well following the resignation of Ishaq Dar.
They said that a two-member team of economists which will include Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail and former Governor State Bank of Pakistan Dr Ishrat Hussain will run the affairs of the Finance Ministry.
The news about Ishaq Dar’s resignation surfaced a few days after the NAB requested the Interior Ministry it include his name on its Exit Control List (ECL). While on Tuesday last week, an Accountability Court in Islamabad had also issued non-bailable warrants for Ishaq Dar after he failed to make his appearance before the Court to face a trial pertaining to possession of assets worth approximately Rs 831.7 million which are beyond his known sources of income.
Ishaq Dar was also removed from the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a Constitutional body which resolves the disputes of power sharing between the federation and provinces.
