In a major blow to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), former finance minister Shaukat Tarin announced his resignation from the party and active politics on Friday, citing challenging financial circumstances and deteriorating health.
Speaking to a local media outlet, Tarin, who served as finance minister under the PTI government, revealed that the last two-and-a-half years had been particularly demanding, both financially and in terms of health. He attributed his declining health to double Covid episodes during his time in office.
Tarin expressed gratitude to his colleagues and friends who supported him during his political journey. “Therefore, at the insistence of my family and friends, I have decided to resign from active politics for good and move on. Hence, I am resigning from PTI and also from the Senate of Pakistan,” he stated.
Tarin highlighted his contributions to the economic stability of the country during his tenure as finance minister. He pointed out that in 2008-10, under the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government, he played a crucial role in averting an impending default and stabilising the economy.
Also read: FIA gets nod to arrest Tarin for ‘stalling’ IMF talks
Additionally, he claimed credit for achieving the “best economic performance in 17 years” during his time as finance minister in the PTI government.
Tarin reflected on his 27-year-long political career, stating that he tried to repay the country at “great personal costs” following in the footsteps of his father, a veteran of the Pakistan Movement.
His departure comes amid a wave of politicians leaving the PTI in the aftermath of a nationwide crackdown launched against the party. The crackdown followed the May 9 riots that erupted after the arrest of PTI leader Imran Khan. Notable departures from the party include Shireen Mazari, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Pervez Khattak, and Farrukh Habib among others.
Tarin, who was appointed as finance minister by the PTI government in April 2021, saw his constitutional term end on October 16, 2021. Subsequently, he was appointed as the finance adviser to the prime minister. In December 2021, the PTI government managed to get Tarin elected as a senator, leading to his reinstatement as the finance minister.
