Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Sunday formally accepted the resignation of former finance minister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government Shaukat Tarin from the upper house of Parliament.
Shaukat Tarin met Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani in Dubai and tendered his resignation, which was accepted by the Senate chairman, said a news release of the Senate Secretariat.
The decision to step down from the PTI and retire from politics was announced by the former finance minister the other day, citing financial and health challenges.
Tarin, who took on the mantle of finance minister on April 17, 2021, faced a constitutional term limit as he was not elected to Parliament. Consequently, his tenure concluded on October 16, leading to his appointment as the finance adviser to the prime minister.
The PTI government strategically ensured Tarin’s election as a senator in December 2021, allowing him to reclaim his pivotal position as the finance minister. However, his recent resignation represents a significant setback for the PTI, already grappling with the departure of several key leaders since the eruption of protests on May 9, triggered by the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He now joins a growing list of leaders who have distanced themselves from the party, including prominent names like Asad Umar, Usman Dar, Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, and Pervez Khattak.
The wave of exits intensified after the tumultuous events of May 9, when PTI supporters vandalized state installations in response to Imran Khan’s arrest. Subsequently, a crackdown led to the apprehension of numerous party members, including Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Notably, Tarin had previously served as the federal finance minister during the Pakistan Peoples Party government, spanning from October 2008 to February 2010.
