Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif came face-to-face over the country’s economic policies during the meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday.
Refusing to defend Miftah, the prime minister said that it was his responsibility to satisfy the queries of the cabinet members.
According to sources, addressing the finance minister, Khawaja Asif said that the substantial increase in petroleum prices is damaging the party’s public popularity.
The defense minister said that the poor are suffering due to inflation and asked Miftah how long the masses will have to face this burden. If these conditions continue, the party will suffer severely, he added.
Responding to the questions and briefing the cabinet, the finance minister said this is the first budget to tax the rich and provide relief to the poor. The rise in petroleum prices is due to the increase in prices in the international market and has nothing to do with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Miftah said the next round of talks with the IMF will take place today and tomorrow night. It is pertinent to mention here that on Monday the finance minister had expressed hope to seal a deal with the IMF for the revival of the $6 billion bailout package in a day or two.
