Summary Earlier, the Speaker had directed giving the wristwatch to Dasti
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – MNA Jamshed Dasti has refused to accept Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s wristwatch, allegedly worth Rs 5 million, in the latest development in debate over Dar’s opulent lifestyle pointed out by the former, reported Tuesday.
The member of National Assembly said that Dar should give his expensive watch to charity or a welfare organization in his stead.
Dasti and Speaker Ayaz Sadiq exchanged a few sentences over Dar’s wristwatch issue as the session began today. While talking to Dunya News, Dasti said that he has asked Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to auction Finance Minister’s watch in his supervision.
The wristwatch debate had begun when Dasti pointed out during Dar’s speech in a recent National Assembly session, in an attempt to highlight the luxurious style of living of ministers, that he was sporting a watch worth at least Rs 5 million.
Dar was responding to members’ reservations at the time over the recently announced federal budget for the financial year 2016-17.
Responding to independently elected member, the federal minister unhooked his watch and handed it over to Dasti saying that he may give the money to charity if he is able to sell it for Rs 5 million.
Speaking with Dunya News today, Dasti claimed that he received a phone call last night and a person offered to pay Rs 0.3 million for Dar’s watch.
Dasti asserted that ‘insiders’ had told him the worth of Finance Minister’s watch and he told the caller that it could not be less than Rs 5 million given that it had not been replaced.
The member of National Assembly cleared that the entire issue was not a personal attack but an observation highlighting affluent ministers on one hand and the poor country on the other.
Ministers wear wristwatches worth of Rs 5 million and drive bulletproof cars worth of Rs 80 million, Dasti said.
