PM Imran Khan's abrupt cabinet reshuffle

It is claimed that the ministers have been replaced based on their performance in state's interest.

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet underwent major reshuffle after Asad Umar quitted as the finance minister of Pakistan on Thursday (yesterday), and key portfolios of the finance, interior, information, health, petroleum, aviation, science and states have seen new faces.

Fawad Chaudhary has been given the portfolio of Minister for Science and Technology, while Ghulam Sarwar will be Minister for Aviation, Ijaz Ahmed Shah Minister for Interior and Shehryar Afridi Minister of State for SAFRON.

Mohammad Mian Soomro will be Minister for Privatization and he will also hold additional portfolio of Aviation Division.

Azam swati has been appointed as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, while Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh as Advisor on Finance.

Dr Zafarullah Mirza has been appointed as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, while Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Nadeem Babar on Petroleum Division.

Abdul Hafeez Shaikh

Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh – an acclaimed economist – holds international repute. He has over 35 years of experience in economic policy-making, management and implementation.

Abdul Hafeez Shaikh obtained an MS and a PhD in Economics from Boston University. He worked as Saudi Arabia’s country head with the World Bank, as senior official adviser to 21 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. He was also employed at Harvard University.

Abdul Hafeez remained Pakistan’s finance minister from 2010 to 2013 during the tenure of the Pakistan Peoples Party; minister of finance, planning and development of Sindh from 2000 to 2002. He served as minister for privatization under former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

Firdous Ashiq Awan

Firdous Ashiq Awan joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in May 2017, leaving Pakistan Peoples Party. She – along with husband – remained a loyal PPP supporter until co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari took control of the party.

Firdous Ashiq Awan entered politics in 1990. She established the Society for Health and Development and Exchange to improve the healthcare system.

Firdous Awan was elected on the National Assembly’s reserved seat for women in 2002. She was elected again in 2008 on PPP ticket and served as the federal minister for National Regulation and Services. She also remained the information minister in the PPP government.

Firdous Ashiq Awan lost NA-111 election in 2013 and resigned as the PPP Punjab vice president afterwards.

Nadeem Babar

Nadeem Babar remained the chief executive of Orient Power and Saba Power Company. He had been connected with the power sector since the introduction of private producers under the 1994 power policy.

Prime Minister Imran Khan asked Nadeem Babar to head an eight-member task force on energy sector reforms in September 2018.

Dr Zafarullah Mirza

Dr Zafarullah Mirza joined the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2004 and served there for more than ten years. He also remained the WHO Division of Health System Development director.

He has a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Rawalpindi Medical College, a Master’s of Science degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.