Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra held a press conference following the alleged audio leak between former federal minister Shaukat Tarin and provincial finance ministers.
Earlier in the day, an audio was leaked in which Tarin allegedly asked Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari and KP Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra to write letters withdrawing from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal.
Umar said Tarin had asked both provincial finance ministers to request the federal government to renegotiate the IMF agreement due to the recent floods and the devastation caused both in KP and Punjab.
“Can anyone say this isn’t good advice?”
Umar accused the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of acting against the state’s interest and international commitments by voting and speaking out against legislation related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and IMF agreement during PTI’s tenure.
He said that Tarin, as a former finance minister, had every right to “give advice” to Jhagra and Leghari. “There is nothing wrong in Tarin speaking to Jhagra and Leghari on the phone and giving advice.”
“If Jhagra felt that there was something wrong in it, then he would not have brought himself before the nation,” he added.
Taking a jibe at the government, Umar posed a question: “Tell me if you are asking money from foreign governments, then why can’t you ask the IMF to give us space this year to use our money for flood-related expenses?”
‘Bring Khan to power but not at the cost of Pakistan’: Miftah Ismail
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that Shaukat Tarin should leave politics and “Asad Umar and Taimur Jhagra should be ashamed of themselves”.
“Imran Khan should ask the nation for forgiveness. Taimur Jhagra should resign and Shaukat Tarin should quit politics. Is this why you do politics?”
He termed the PTI’s move the “most shameful thing”, saying that the real faces of PTI leaders have now been exposed.
Referring to the IMF Executive Board meeting, which is set for today (August 29), Miftah said that by the will of God, the country will hear good news tonight after the IMF approves the pending tranche.
Miftah Ismail also asked PTI supporters to question party Chairman Khan about whether the letter Jhagra wrote was in the state’s interest. “Do support Imran but tell him he is not bigger than Pakistan. Bring him to power but not at the cost of Pakistan.”
“When they are writing letters against Pakistan’s interest, it is your responsibility to say no. Consider Pakistan’s interest to be sacred. If Pakistan’s interest is not sacred to a person, he is not fit to govern the country.”
