LONDON: PML-N senior leader Ishaq Dar has said he has his eyes set on putting Pakistan’s weakening economy back on track. Before leaving for Pakistan with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dar said he looked forward to taking oath as Pakistan’s finance minister and then doing his best to stabilise struggling economy. 

Accepting that he faces an uphill task in Pakistan, Dar told reporters that with God’s blessings he hopes to bring economy back to stage it was at when PML-N was last in power. “Whirlpool Pakistan went through in last four years is hidden from no one.

Fortunately, I am returning to same office that I left five years back. This is Allah’s blessing,” Dar said. PML-N leader said that Pakistan’s economy under Nawaz was on its way to becoming one of strongest global economies, with low-interest rates, decade-high growth, a stable rupee and a huge forex reserve.

“I pray to Allah to guide me to bring Pakistan in same position that we took Pakistan to under Nawaz Sharif when we were set to become 18th biggest economy in world,” he said. “We had highest growth in decades. We had highest reserves and micro and macroeconomic indicators were great. There was stability.  

He added that a “fake” case was concocted against him regarding filing of taxes. “I have never failed to file taxes in my life but a fake case of non-filing of tax was registered against me.”

Dar will take oath as Senator since despite being elected, he has been in self-exile in London for last five years. Dar will face challenging times upon his arrival as Pakistani rupee has recently escaped an all-time low against dollar, stock market has been lacklustre and forex reserves are continuously depleting standing at $ 8,346.4 million as of September 16.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 27 2022

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