Former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has severed connections with the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), dealing another blow to the party. Tarin confirmed his departure by resigning from the Senate, effectively ending his political career.
Tarin, a former PTI leader, expressed his decision to leave the party and abandon politics entirely in an interview. His departure adds to the growing list of leaders who have left the PTI, including Asad Umar, Usman Dar, Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, and Pervez Khattak.
This action comes after a string of judicial and political setbacks for the PTI. The party’s internal dynamics have been strained since the events on May 9, when PTI workers engaged in vandalism and rioting in the aftermath of Imran Khan’s arrest.
Following these incidents, a crackdown on those implicated began, resulting in the arrest of numerous party workers and leaders, including Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Shaukat Tarin’s tenure:
Shaukat Tarin initially took over as finance minister in April 2021. Despite the fact that his stint as a federal minister ended after six months due to legal constraints, Imran Khan nominated him as a financial adviser.
Tarin took office in as federal finance minister for a second term in December of the same year after winning a by-election for a general seat in the Senate.
His tenure, however, fell short, as the PTI administration failed in a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, culminating in Imran Khan’s dismissal from office.
Tarin, who served as federal finance minister under the Pakistan Peoples Party government from October 2008 to February 2010, is leaving politics. His departure highlights the problems and internal adjustments within the PTI as the political landscape in Pakistan evolves.
