Circumstances required removal of Hafeez Sheikh as Finance Minister: Shafqat Mahmood

Dunya News

Circumstances required removal of Hafeez Sheikh as Finance Minister: Shafqat Mahmood

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has said that the reason behind former Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh’s removal from his post was not his performance but the requirement of our circumstances.

Shafqat Mehmood, while talking to Dunya News program ‘Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Saath’, said that Abdul Hafeez Sheikh could not have remained the Finance Minister for more than six months. PTI had given him a ticket to get elected as a Senator but he lost that election, he added.

Regarding his successor, he said that going forward, Hammad Azhar could be the permanent finance minister and any ambiguity in this regard would soon be removed.

Replying to a question, he said that Punjab’s cabinet has not seen many changes, most of the changes have taken place in the federal cabinet. He added that it was normal for ministers to be given new portfolios and that he himself has been the education minister for two and a half years.

The Education Minister said that Petroleum and Energy are very technical ministries and clarified that Nadeem Babar has not been removed over any report or finding. In fact, the Prime Minister wanted him to be relieved of his duties while the inquiry was in progress.

He added that it is possible that if the inquiry does not find Nadeem Babar guilty of any wrongdoing, he might be asked to return to his post.