Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who has lost various divisions, organisations and committees after the formation of new cabinet by Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, may lose the revenue division following appointment of Haroon Akhtar Khan as Special Assistant to PM.
Haroon Akhtar is likely to hold the charge as Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Revenue keeping in view of his performance during the former premiership of Nawaz Sharif. Dar would be now confined to ‘finance’ only. “Since Dar has been confined to finance, it seems he has also lost interests in the government affairs. He now leaves office early and sometimes even avoids visiting office,” said sources at ministry of finance, adding that the minister was once used to work till night at office.
Former PM Nawaz Sharif had delegated all economic and financial powers to Ishaq Dar who reportedly headed at one time more than four dozen committees, including those on legal, constitutional and political affairs.
According to sources, Abbasi also wants maximum hold on important decision making bodies and committees. The reason of minimising responsibilities of the finance minister could be the expected references of NAB against Dar.
There was already lack of cordial relation between Dar and Abbasi since the former considered him more senior and close to the ruling family.
A source also claimed that the findings of JIT about Ishaq Dar had also made the Sharif Family unhappy. “What the PM is doing is based on direction of the Sharif Family,” he said.
Earlier, PM Abbasi on August 10 had removed Ishaq Dar from his post as ECC chairman of the cabinet.
