"I have verbally resigned as Finance Minister," Ismail said in a Tweet, adding that he had signalled his plans to the country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a meeting. "I will tender a formal resignation upon reaching Pakistan," he added.

Miftah and Sharif are currently in London and due to return to Pakistan early next week.

(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Asif Shahzad; Editing by Toby Chopra)