Daily Times

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Monday announced that Asad Umar has been again inducted in the federal cabinet as minister for planning and special initiatives while Khusro Bakhtiar has been assigned the portfolio of minister for petroleum.

In a tweet on her social media platform, she said the notification regarding the change and expansion in the cabinet will be issued soon.

However, it is not clear what portfolio Ghulam Sarwar Khan, the current minister for petroleum and natural resources, will be assigned.

PTI stalwart Asad Umar had stepped down as the finance minister in April, telling a news conference that it was time to make some ‘difficult decisions’ to stabilise the economy. At the time, Umar had announced that he had obtained Prime Minister Imran Khan’s consent ‘to not take any cabinet position’. He was replaced by Hafeez Shaikh, who is PM’s adviser on economic affairs. Since then, Umar is serving as chairman of National Assembly’s standing committee on finance, revenue and economic affairs.

Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry congratulated Umar for his comeback in the federal cabinet. “Waoow Congs @Asad_Umar welcome back in the Cabinet … wish you all the best,” he tweeted. Prime Minister Imran had in October hinted at some changes in the federal cabinet after some leaders, during a meeting of the PTI parliamentary party, complained about ‘non-cooperation’ by some ministers in addressing people’s grievances. Prime Minister Imran Khan has repeatedly stressed that he will continue to review the portfolios assigned to ministers and advisers based on their performances.