Miftah Ismail has stepped down from all of his PML-N roles.
Ex-finance minister thinks it’s time to officially acknowledge the obvious and leave electoral politics.
Former finance minister and current general secretary of the Sindh chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Miftah Ismail, has announced his resignation.
A copy of Ismail’s resignation letter to PML-N central secretary general Ahsan Iqbal was provided to The Express Tribune on Saturday.
Since his removal as finance minister last year, Ismail has spoken out forcefully against the current government system in the country, going so far as to criticize his own party. He is outraged that the 1% elite have been running the country at the expense of the 99% subjected to their rule.
He believes that while the media in Pakistan focuses on the tensions between different ethnic groups and religious denominations, the vast mass of the population is left out of the discussion and the consequences.
Given the forthcoming reorganization of the party structure, I believe it is time for me to make formal what is already true and move on,” Ismail wrote. Therefore, I am submitting my resignation as PML-N Sindh General Secretary and from all other party committees.
Ismail thanked the party’s top brass for the opportunity and responsibility they had given him. He thanked PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and the current prime minister, President Shehbaz Sharif, for their support and generosity throughout the years.
In addition, he acknowledged the leadership and friendship of prominent figures including as Iqbal, Khawaja Asif, Ayaz Sadiq, Pervaiz Rasheed, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and others.
Although Ismail stated that he would no longer be running for office, he emphasized that he and his fellow party members still wanted to see Pakistan become more equitable and prosperous.
His final words in the letter were well wishes for the party, its leaders, and Iqbal.
The PML-N is currently undertaking a process of reorganization to strengthen its political standing in the country, therefore Ismail’s decision comes at a crucial point for the party.
The PML-N’s internal dynamics and future direction are under question after the departure of such a high-profile member of the party.
