Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi defended the appointment of Miftah Ismail as Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs after the opposition members criticised his appointment during the budget session.
Islamabad, (Pakistan Point News - 27th Apr, 2018) : Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi defended the appointment of Miftah Ismail as Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs after the opposition members criticised his appointment during the budget session. Opposition leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah expressed reservations over the appointment of Miftah Ismail as finance minister and said the government did not have the right to present the budget for the full year.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi was also critical of Miftah's appointment, stressing that the government was setting a bad example by having someone present the budget who was not an elected official. Responding to the opposition, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that, "It was the cabinet's decision for Miftah Ismail to present the budget and there is nothing unconstitutional in that." He added that he would like to see what changes the opposition would make to the budget when they got the chance.
PM Abbasi said the person who made the effort had the right to present the budget adding that Rana Afzal was a respected State Minister but the cabinet decided that Miftah Ismail should present the budget. He requested the opposition members to have a heart and listen to the budget speech but the opposition members staged a walkout from the august house.
