Ishaq Dar refuses to resign despite pressure from PM, cabinet

GVS Analysis |

Geo News, along with multiple prominent TV anchors, has reported that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has still not resigned. Instead, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqqan Abbasi has taken charge of the Finance Minister’s portfolio and has constituted a committee to oversee the operations of the Finance Ministry.

This revelation comes after GVS and other media outlets reported that Ishaq Dar had officially stepped down.

GEO reports that Dar has not resigned, instead PM Khakkan Abbassi has taken charge of Finance Ministry; ministry… https://t.co/wRtcFxyQCZ

— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) November 18, 2017

Ishaq Dar hasn’t resigned , PM politely asked him also but he refused. Dar even turned down request to step down from Shahbaz.

— Kamran Khan (@AajKamranKhan) November 18, 2017

This development has bewildered many because the Finance Minister had been indicted by the accountability court late in September after which his resignation seemed imminent. Since then, the court has issued bailable warrants for Dar’s arrest (on 30^th Oct) and then subsequently issued non-bailable warrants on Nov 14^th.

However, Dar had flown to Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Oct 27^th – taking the Prime Minister’s special private aircraft – to attend the 16th CAREC Ministerial Meeting despite the fact that the conference was of a lower functionary level and did not demand his presence. Dar then flew to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah where he held meetings with ex-PM Nawaz Sharif.

The health issues indicated in the certificates were very easily addressable by prestigious cardiac hospitals in Pakistan.  

Dar then accompanied Nawaz to London where, on 1^st Nov, he was part of a high-level gathering of select PML-N leaders including Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister Khaqqan Abbasi, and Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif.

Many other, prominent figures – such as Chaudhry Nisar and Ahsan Iqbal – were conspicuously absent from this meeting.

Immediately after this meeting, Ishaq Dar reportedly fell ill with heart disease and was admitted to a private UK clinic.

The accountability court, however, dismissed the medical certificates presented by Dar’s counsel on the grounds that they were contradictory. Also, the health issues indicated in the certificates were very easily addressable by prestigious cardiac hospitals in Pakistan.  

Given the facts, political analysts have suggested that the health issues cited by Dar are merely a political strategy to avoid prosecution. His efforts are also being backed by deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

It appears that in spite of being disqualified and indicted, Nawaz Sharif still holds significant influence over government and state machinery.

Rumors suggest that PM Abbasi had asked Ishaq Dar for his resignation in light of the prevailing situation but was snubbed.  

It appears that in spite of being disqualified and indicted, Nawaz Sharif still holds significant influence over government and state machinery. This was further illustrated when NAB had moved the Interior Ministry to place Dar on the Exit Control List (ECL) however, the request has been disregarded. 

Note: GVS had earlier reported that Ishaq Dar had resigned. This has now been proven as a rumor.