Daily Times

LAHORE: Interim Punjab Chief Minister Hassan Askari on Monday appointed a  6-member cabinet, which also included his cousin, during an oath taking ceremony.

Interim Punjab CM picked all 6 cabinet members from Gym Khana club, which also included Zia Hyder Rizvi, who is the cousin of Hassan Askari.

According to the sources, Hassan Askari Rizvi’s cousin has been given portfolio for Finance, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control.

Zia Haider Rizvi is the  founder of Zia group in Lahore Gymkhana Club .Besides this, he is also income tax lawyer and an active leader in the Lahore Tax Bar Association (LTBA) and Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan. The Minister is also serving as honorary Counsel General of Thailand.

Zia Haider is Askari’s first cousin from his paternal side, whereas he runs his own law firm with name of Rizvi & Co based in Lahore. He had also been an Advisor of former Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif for Taxation.

The interim minister also served as Director Pakistan Super League (PSL) previously. Zia Haider Rizvi is the son of Justice (retd) Jamil Hussain Rizvi (late) who was Advocate General of West Pakistan, High Court Judge West Pakistan, Member Legislative Assembly and Minister of Law and Rehabilitation for West Pakistan.

Moreover, the Interim Home Minister Shaukat Javed is former Inspector General (IG) Punjab. Besides, he had also served as Director General Punjab Intelligence Bureau (IB), Crime Branch and was considered as experienced police officer to deal with terrorism related issues. He had also served as DIG Lahore and DIG Multan.