ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved a major reshuffle in his cabinet and appointed Shaukat Tarin as new federal finance minister.
Tarin has replaced Hammad Azhar weeks after he was assigned the portfolio following the removal of Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh as finance minister.
Hammad Azhar has been appointed as the Minister for Energy, replacing Omar Ayub while Khusro Bakhtiar has been given the charge of the Minister for Industries and Production.
وزیر اعظم عمران خان نے کابینہ میں تبدیلیاں کی ہیں، ان تبدیلیوں کی تفصیل لف ہے۔ pic.twitter.com/Rld1raSAmt
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 16, 2021
Shibli Faraz has been made minister of science and technology while Fawad Chaudhry has been re-appointed as the Minister for Information and Broadcasting
The charge of Minister for Economic Affairs, which was previously held by Khusro Bakhtiar, has been given to Omar Ayub.
Last month, then information minister Shibli Faraz had dropped a hint of cabinet reshuffle, stating that the prime minister wanted to bring in a new team.
PM Removed Nadeem Babar as aid on petroleum
In March, the premier also removed his special assistant on petroleum Nadeem Babar.
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar had announced the decision during a press conference. Secretary for Petroleum Division had also been asked to report to the Establishment Division.
Umar said that both officials have been asked to leave the charge in order to ensure transparency in the investigation, besides clarifying that Babar and secretary petroleum had not been found involved in any wrongdoing.
The planning minister said that the prime minister had directed the Federal Investigation Agency to conduct forensic audit of oil marketing companies.
He further said that some incompetent people in the petroleum division hold administrative positions, adding that the division has been directed to report to the premier in this regard immediately.
The planning minister further said that the Petroleum Division and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) have lead role in the lawmaking that helps to run the whole sector.
There is ambiguity in functions of the division and Ogra as when something bad happens they starts holding each other responsible for it.
He asserted that there is a need to end the ambiguity in order to save the country from losses of billions of rupees.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/hammad-azhar-named-as-wefs-young-global-leader/
