Had fixed economy before, will mend it again, vows Ishaq Dar

Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has warned that no one will be allowed to play with the lives of people saying that the value of dollar was appreciated artificially, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Talking to media outside an accountability court in Islamabad on Friday after his arrest warrants were cancelled, financial Czar Dar expressed his satisfaction over the fact that the value of dollar was being depreciated continuously since he assumed the charge of the finance ministry. 

He was of the view that dollar’s rate was escalated artificially. He touted that he fixed the economy last time when he served as a finance minister during the PML-N tenure and vowed to improve it in future too. 

Contrary to dollar’s trend which is edging up all over the world, the value of the American currency has started plummeting here in Pakistan, he added. 

Dar warned that his government won’t let anyone play with the lives of people. 

He said with the rate of dollar nosediving, country’s debt was shrunk by Rs2,600 billion. He admitted that it was a big challenge to strengthen the currency’s value. 

He was of the view that people were bearing the brunt of previous PTI government’s wrong economic policies.

The minister opined that we shouldn’t indulge in revenge politics. He said that the case against him was politically-motivated adding that his name was not even mentioned in the Panama papers. 

Dar said that an agreement had been finalized with the APTMA. 

He expressed his resolve that his government would not allow doing politics in the name of economy. He said that we had passed through the phase of ‘dirty politics’. 

He said those who had brought Pakistan to the edge of destruction, they should be ashamed on themselves. 

Accountability court cancels Ishaq Dar’s arrest warrants

Earlier, the accountability court in Islamabad cancelled permanent arrest warrants issued for PML-N senior leader and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar who appeared in the court on Friday morning.

The court also ordered Ishaq Dar to submit a surety bond of one million rupees during hearing of NAB reference relating to assets beyond means.

As the proceedings starts, Ishaq Dar’s lawyer Qazi Misbah prayed to the court to cancel the arrest warrants permanently as the PML-N leader has himself appeared in the court.

He also urged the court to withdraw the order of confiscation of Ishaq Dar’s property. The lawyer also moved an application for Ishaq Dar’s exemption from appearance in the court.

When AC Judge Muhammad Bashir asked had the NAB also issued any warrants for Ishaq Dar, Investigative Officer Nadir Abbas informed the court that the NAB had issued the warrants but they were suspended.

Reporter Ehtesham Kiyani