ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday appointed former adviser to PM Sartaz Aziz as Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, a status equivalent to a federal minister.
Sartaz Aziz, a strategist and economist, had served as an advisor to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif till the disqualification of latter as a result of the Supreme Court ruling in Panamagate scandal on July 28.
Sartaj Aziz was given the position of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission to oversee the CPEC related projects and would assist the prime minister in looking after the affairs of the Planning Commission the portfolio he had kept with him.
The other advisers to the prime minister whose names were notified included Amir Muqam, who would continue to monitor the working of the federal government departments in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Irfan Siddiqui would continue to work as Adviser to Prime Minister on National History and Literary Heritage Division, Sardar Mehtab Abbassi would work as Advisor to Prime Minister on Aviation while Jam Mashuq would continue as Adviser to Prime Minister on Political Affairs.
Abbasi, who succeeded Nawaz Sharif is making a major reshuffle in official positions. Earlier, he removed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as chairman of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet.
