Khaqan, Miftah launch party, slam ‘tainted politicians’

ISLAMABAD: Ending months of speculation about the formation of a new political party, former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leaders, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Miftah Ismail, on Saturday launched ‘Awam Pakistan,’ with a pledge to change the governance system of the country and deny political space to tainted politicians.

“Politicians with tainted reputations won’t be a part of Awam Pakistan,” said Khaqan, who served as prime minister during the PMLN’s 2013-18 stint in power, at the press conference in Islamabad flanked by Miftah and ex-PMLN leader Mehtab Abbasi.

The party’s launch came months after Khaqan and Ismail parted ways from the ruling party following their differences with the leadership. Giving rise to speculations about a new political platform, Khaqan in April approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the registration of a new party.

In a hard-hitting press conference, the former prime minister bashed the incumbent government, saying that those won elections on the basis of “Form-47” can’t build the country.

“We are just concerned about power, not about the country. Parties keep forming in Pakistan for specific purposes,” he said, adding that they had not invited anyone to join the newly launched Awam Pakistan party. Electables are part of politics but not acceptable, he added.

Without naming anyone, the ex-prime minister said that he and his fellow leaders remained a part of a particular political party in good or bad times but couldn’t be a part of it anymore just for the sake of power. “The government consists of a handful of elites who don’t want to change the system,” Khaqan added.

Speaking on the occasion, Miftah came hard on the existing system in the country saying that “predatory” set-up cannot continue. “The tax on the salaried class has been doubled in the budget [...] the middle class is being crushed,” Miftah said, stressing that the budget in essence is a reflection of the ruling elite’s priorities.Referring to the recently announced anti-terrorism drive “Operation Azm-e-Istehkam,” the politician said: “Today we are going to conduct another operation. Why these operations are needed again and again because you cannot end poverty.” “Are you running East India Company,” he said, adding that the “system of hunter and hunted cannot continue”.

Lambasting the federal government for its budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, the ex-finance czar said that those earning merely Rs50,000 per month are asked to pay tax, but no tax is demanded from one owning thousands of acres of land.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar on Saturday questioned the credibility of the founders of newly launched political party Awam Pakistan. The minister, reacting to their presser held at the launching ceremony, said it was nothing but a gathering of investors who had billions of rupees in their possession.

The presser was a repeat telecast of the old narrative that was “full of contradictions”, he maintained.

Referring to former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail, he asked how a person without “loyalty” could do the “politics of ethics”. Ironically, those who delivered “speeches with full of contradictions” had remained in power and enjoyed its perks and privileges in the past, Tarar noted.

The minister said the public would ask them why they were silent while being in the highest offices of the country. Why the announcements made today were not implemented by them while being in the offices of prime minister and minister of finance and petroleum, he questioned.

“On the one hand, they say that power is not their destination and at the same time they also declare themselves as the Messiah,” Tarar wondered.

Rebutting their “false statements”, the minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government has been transforming the lives of people by achieving major development milestones. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet have been working day in and day out to transform Pakistan economy, he remarked.