ISLAMABAD: A meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary members was held at the Parliament House on Wednesday.
The meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Asad Umar and attended by Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar and MNA Amir Dogar among others, was called on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to sources, the session was convened after PTI parliamentary members complained to Umar about the lack of contact between the federal ministers and MNAs since coming to power. It has also been learnt that Umar was asked to consider ground realities when it comes to policies so that the hard work he puts in does not go to waste.
The meeting discussed and decided the government’s strategy on the economic situation in the country along with the recently formed alliance of opposition parties. The finance minister also briefed the participants on the forthcoming mini-budget.
Disgruntled members from south Punjab and Faisalabad complained about the federal ministers and said that if the same attitude persists, the party would face difficulties in south Punjab during the next elections.
PTI’s chief whip Amir Dogar too was apprehensive about the federal ministers’ attitude.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, he took a hit at the ministers, saying their lack of participation in the meeting was a clear indicator of their seriousness or the lack thereof. He further said that it was unfortunate that members of the party had to ask for time to meet the federal ministers.
“The meeting was only convened as PTI MNAs demanded a briefing on the country’s economy,” he said.
Briefly touching upon the trading of words between Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi, Dogar said the premier would certainly look into the matter.
In addition, Dogar also hinted at certain factions in Sindh vying for change in the province.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Asad Umar said that no one had ever asked for a party-level meeting for the past five months and now that the issue had come to the government’s attention, all grievances will be addressed forthwith.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also assured the members of the meeting of constant and continuous contact between the members of the assembly and the federal ministers while Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said that all ministers would brief the PTI lawmakers once a week.
