Ignoring whispers of a party switch, former finance minister and estranged Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) Miftah Ismail on Monday denied joining the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
He clarified via X that he's currently on an "active politics hiatus".
Back in June, Miftah resigned as PML-N Sindh's General Secretary, voicing open criticism of their economic policies, especially after Ishaq Dar's return to the finance ministry.
Stepping away from PML-N, Miftah, alongside ex-prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former PPP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, launched "Reimagining Pakistan," a discussion forum on critical issues neglected since independence.
They held seminars across cities to foster dialogue.
Whispers, fuelled by unnamed sources, claimed the PPP was close to sealing the deal with Miftah, with an official announcement just around the corner.
But Miftah shut down these rumours on X.
There was a newspaper report in Tribune today and a tv report yesterday that I am going to join PPP. The news is not true. I have for now stepped back from politics and am not joining any political party."
There was a newspaper report in Tribune today and a tv report yesterday that I am going to join PPP.
— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) December 4, 2023
The news is not true.
I have for now stepped back from politics and am not joining any political party.
Earlier in October, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar personally invited Miftah to join their ranks, even visiting him in Karachi to discuss the possibility.