PTI-government scuffle: Miftah Ismail, Senator Afnan Ullah weigh in

ISLAMABAD: Former Finance Minister, Miftah Ismail, expressed concern over the ongoing impasse between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government.

Speaking on the show “Faisla Aapka” on Hum News, Ismail said that the political elite were prioritising personal pride over the pressing needs of the nation.

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The former PML-N member pointed that leaders were not paying attention to pressing issues such as employment, education and medical needs of the 240 million populace.

Miftah Ismail stated that efforts were being made to encourage dialogue between the federal government and the PTI. He also called for a unified stance among all political parties regarding the situation in Parachinar.

The region has been facing significant unrest, yet barely covered by media. Reflecting on Pakistan’s history, the former finance minister noted that foreign powers had previously influenced domestic politics, complicating  the current political landscape.

A focal point of Miftah’s observations was the dire financial situation of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the national air carrier.

He advocated for the quick privatisation  of the airline, citing its overwhelming debt of a whopping Rs800 billion.

He was also very sceptical about the air carrier’s ability to generate sufficient funds to address it debts. The finance minister warned that the airline’s continued state ownership would perpetuate fiscal losses for the country.

Miftah stated that simply expanding routes would not resolve the deficit.

Meanwhile, Senator Afnan Ullah criticised the Opposition. He accused them of disseminating misinformation and lacking concrete proposals.

He claimed that the Opposition’s primary role has been to mislead the public. The Senator accused them of not possessing viable projects or ideas.

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While he acknowledged discussions surrounding political bans on PTI, but expressed his belief that such measures would not be beneficial for the current landscape.