Don’t Know How Long I Will Stay: Pak Finance Minister

Pakistan’s finance minister isn’t sure about the duration of his tenure. “I don’t know how long I will stay but the government, God willing, will stay for 6.5 years,” Miftah Ismail said at an event in Karachi. His comments come amid speculation that the PML-N is considering replacing Miftah with former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who is currently in London. In July, an insider told Dawn that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was adamant about Dar’s return amid Pakistan’s dire economic situation. Another fuel price hike on August 15 added to the strain, with PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz saying Nawaz Sharif had strongly opposed the decision. Recently, PML-N leader Abid Sher Ali criticized Ismail for his “anti-people” policies. Ismail says he may be an “unpopular” politician but wouldn’t compromise on the country’s stability for “cheap popularity”.