ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who lives in self-imposed exile in London, said on Tuesday that corruption allegations were frequently used as a pretext for political persecution in his country, saying he had all the evidence to disprove accusations of financial irregularities against him.
Dar, who is a close confidant of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, also in self-imposed exile in London, made the statement during an interview on BBC’s HARDtalk program.
He denied that he was hiding in London to “escape the judicial process.”
“My lawyers are there [in Pakistan],” he said. “I’m here for medical treatment since I have cervical issue.”
The former Pakistani finance minister has been in the United Kingdom since October 2017 when he left to receive medical treatment while a corruption case was pending against him. The court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for him in November 2017 for not appearing before the judiciary, but Dar has refused to return to Pakistan.
Asked about Pakistan’s anti-graft body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Dar said it had “lost its integrity long ago” and was wielded as a weapon against political rivals of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan. NAB has increasingly come under pressure for going after opponents of the government, though NAB and the government both deny these charges.
“The [incumbent] regime is known to be under a covert coup or a judicial martial law,” Dar said.
Exiled former finance minister says ‘corruption’ often used for political persecution in Pakistan
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Exiled former finance minister says ‘corruption’ often used for political persecution in Pakistan
- Ishaq Dar went for medical treatment to London in October 2017 while he was facing a corruption case
- He claimed during a BBC program that Pakistan’s anti-graft body was being used by the current administration to settle political scores, NAB denies this
Pakistan says economy stabilizing as it looks to 2026 growth
- Inflation averages 5 percent, remittances hit $16.1 billion as government cites signs of recovery
- IT exports, industry and development spending highlighted as focus shifts to next year’s targets
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy has shown signs of stabilization in the first half of the current fiscal year, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday, as the government looks ahead to sustaining growth momentum into 2026 after several years of economic volatility.
Briefing the media on economic performance through November, Iqbal said key indicators including inflation, industrial output, exports, remittances and fiscal revenues had improved, creating what he described as a more stable base for forward planning.
Pakistan has spent much of the past two years navigating high inflation, external financing pressures and fiscal tightening under an IMF-backed reform program. While growth remains modest, officials say recent data suggests the economy has moved out of crisis mode and into a consolidation phase.
“During July to November of fiscal year 2025–26, stability has returned to Pakistan’s economy,” Iqbal said, adding that average inflation during the period stood at around 5 percent, compared with 7.9% last year, easing pressure on households and businesses.
Large-scale manufacturing posted growth of 4.1 percent, which Iqbal described as “clear evidence of recovery in industrial activity.”
The planning minister said government revenues also improved, with Federal Board of Revenue collections reaching Rs4,733 billion ($16.9 billion) during July–November, reflecting a 10.2% increase.
External inflows remained resilient, with workers’ remittances rising 9.3% to $16.1 billion, while IT services exports increased 19% to $1.8 billion over the same period, he said.
On the public investment side, Iqbal said Rs196 billion ($700 million) were released under the development budget during the quarter, of which Rs92 billion ($329 million) had already been spent. He added that cost rationalization in development projects between July and October saved Rs3.3 billion ($11.8 million) billion in public funds.
In November, the planning minister said, the Central Development Working Party approved 10 development projects, while six major schemes were referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.
Iqbal said the approved projects were expected to create 994 immediate jobs, with nearly 24,859 direct and 40,873 indirect employment opportunities projected overall.
Looking ahead, he said all future development schemes would be required to comply with green building codes to ensure environmental protection and sustainable growth.
He also highlighted skills and innovation initiatives, saying that under the “Uraan Pakistan” program, partnerships with Oxford and Cambridge universities were being pursued to promote research, technology and innovation.
Under an IT industry revival plan, he said more than 20,000 young people were being trained in advanced technologies, with over 14,000 new jobs expected to be created.
The government has said maintaining macroeconomic stability while gradually lifting growth remains its central challenge as Pakistan moves into 2026, with officials emphasising disciplined spending, export growth and job creation as key priorities.
