Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail is not joining the PPP
Contrary to the popular claim, Ismail is actually taking a break from politics
Claim: Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail is joining the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Fact: Contrary to the popular claim that he is joining the PPP, Ismail is actually taking a break from politics.
On 11 January 2024, a video clip of Former Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, the Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar meeting Asif Ali Zardari went viral, bringing back an older false claim – that Miftah Ismail is joining the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Earlier, the claim was widely circulated by Dunya News, Dawn News, ARY News, JANG and Express Tribune in December 2023. These posts claimed that Ismail, despite being a PML-N leader, was extended an invitation by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to join their party after he had expressed dissatisfaction with his own party. Some of these reports added that Ismail is yet to give a final response, while some claimed that Ismail is likely to accept the invitation and join PPP.
Fact or Fiction?
Following the speculation around Ismail joining the PPP, he issued a public clarification on his X account on 4 December 2023. “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.”
ARY News, AAJ News, and Daily Jang, corroborated that Miftah Ismail had publicly denied joining the PPP and distanced himself from politics.
In addition to this, when Soch Fact Check contacted Miftah Ismail on 25 January 2024 to ask if he is joining the PPP soon or has expressed such an interest anywhere; Ismail confirmed that the news is fake and that he is taking a break from politics.
Virality
The claim that Miftah Ismail has been asked to and is therefore considering joining the PPP, circulated widely on Facebook. Some of these posts can be seen here, here, here, here, and here.
On TikTok, we found a SUNO TV clip sharing the claim here.
Conclusion: Miftah Ismail is not joining the PPP.
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Background image in cover photo: Dawn.com
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