Tarin quits both PTI and politics
Former finance minister and PTI leader Shaukat Tarin. PHOTO: FILE
PTI senior leader and former finance minister Shaukat Tarin on Friday announced that he was not only parting ways with the party, but quitting politics altogether by stepping down as a senator, saying that his deteriorating health as well as financial problems did not allow him to carry on with the burden of these responsibilities any longer.
According to sources, Tarin has informed the PTI leadership about his decision through a message. In his message, the former finance minister wrote that he had assisted various political parties in managing the country’s economy. He maintained that as finance minister during the tenure of the PPP government in 2008-10, he had saved the country from default and stabilised the economy.
He also gave himself credit for making all stakeholders reach a consensus on the National Finance Commission Award after 19 years. Tarin claimed that he had performed his best as the finance minister during the tenure of the PTI government in 17 years as stated in the economic survey of Pakistan of 2022.
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He continued that he had attempted to give back to the country for the last 27 years at “great personal costs”.
The former financial czar further wrote that the last two-and-a-half years had been very difficult for him financially and because of his poor health.
“So, at the insistence of my family and friends, I have decided to quit politics for good and move on,” he added.
Tarin wrote that he was resigning from the PTI and upper house of parliament. He thanked his colleagues and friends, who had helped him in his journey. Tarin also expressed his good wishes for the PTI.
The former finance minister is the latest among the PTI stalwarts, who have quit the party in the wake of this year’s May 9 countrywide violence triggered by the arrest of its former chairman, Imran Khan. During the May 9 riots, TV footage and video clips uploaded on social media platforms showed the PTI leaders, activists, and supporters damaging public and properties, including key military installations.
The country’s civil and military leaders decided to observe May 9 as a black day at national level and initiated a crackdown against the party. Some of the prominent PTI leaders, who quit the party in the aftermath of the May 9 riots, include Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar, Pervez Khattak, Shireen Mazari, Farrukh Habib, Imran Ismail, Murad Raas, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Ali Zaidi, Maleeka Bokhari, and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan.
Tarin was appointed as the finance minister by the PTI government on April 17, 2021. However, as he was not elected to parliament, his constitutional term ended on Oct 16, 2021. Following that, the PTI government appointed him as the finance adviser. In Dec 2021, the PTI government succeeded in having Tarin elected as a senator, following which he was again appointed as the finance minister.