‘PPP attempts to gain dominance and evade responsibility’

ISLAMABAD: PML-N leader Khurram Dastagir on Saturday asserted that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was trying to gain dominance and evade responsibility as the party refused to become part of federal cabinet, ARY News reported.

Speaking at ARY News programme ‘Sawwal Ye Hai’, the PML-N leader said that his party was making efforts to make Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) part of the federal cabinet.

“Nawaz Sharif has asked PML-N leadership to make another attempt to include PPP in the cabinet,” Khurram Dastagir said, adding that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) would also be part of it.

Responding to a question, he said that the PML-N leadership has emphasised on keeping cabinet’s volume short. “The cabinet would comprise of 22 to 25 members to reduce burden on national treasury,” he added.

He pointed out that after formation of the cabinet, PM Shehbaz Sharif has to make some ‘difficult decisions’, believing that PPP would become part of the cabinet after that move. “In my opinion, PPP wants to keep distance from difficult decisions,” he said.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that PM Shehbaz Sharif finalised names for federal cabinet following consultation with his elder brother Nawaz Sharif.

Sources told ARY News that Ishaq Dar, a close Sharif family’s associate and four-time finance minister, has been dropped out of race to become finance minister and will be handed over the portfolio of foreign minister.

However, the ruling party is yet to finalise its finance minister, the person who has to lead an immediate effort to negotiate a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. Pakistan has a narrow path to recovery and the current IMF agreement expires on April 11.

According to sources, renowned banker Muhammad Aurangzeb Khan and Shamshad Akhtar are likely to become the advisers to prime minister on finance and revenue.

Akhtar has been a key part of the recent caretaker government that has been praised by the IMF for “decisive policy efforts” to maintain stability.