LAHORE – Finance Minister Asad Umar has decided to step down amid reports of a federal cabinet reshuffle and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal with Pakistan on Thursday (yesterday).
“As part of a cabinet reshuffle PM [Imran] desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance. However, I have obtained his consent to not take any cabinet position. I strongly believe @ImranKhanPTI is the best hope for Pakistan and inshallah will make a Naya Pakistan,” he said in a tweet.
https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar/status/1118803642314842112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1118803642314842112&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.dailypakistan.com.pk%2Fheadline%2Fasad-umar-steps-down-as-finance-minister-in-first-cabinet-reshuffle%2F
Later, during a news conference, Umar confirmed that he had indeed stepped down as the finance minister but this did not mean he would stop supporting the prime minister’s vision of a Naya Pakistan.
Politicians and journalists were quick to react to this major change in the government and what it means for the government of Imran Khan.
Soon, After the resignation of Finance Minister became a trend on Twitter and many leading politicians, celebrities, civilians and journalists reacted to the matter in their tweets:
https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif/status/1118938117518635012
https://twitter.com/HamidMirPAK/status/1118838742519898112
https://twitter.com/asmashirazi/status/1118809400087588864
https://twitter.com/Marriyum_A/status/1118807771028295683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geo.tv%2Flatest%2F234580-politicians-journalists-react-to-asad-umar-stepping-down-as-finance-minister
https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1118920343295598593
https://twitter.com/shazbkhanzdaGEO/status/1118812801273868288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geo.tv%2Flatest%2F234580-politicians-journalists-react-to-asad-umar-stepping-down-as-finance-minister
https://twitter.com/drbilal_20/status/1119132844175978496
https://twitter.com/xmowais/status/1119133679173824518
https://twitter.com/iamhamzaabbasi/status/1118859961717678080
https://twitter.com/TubaAtweets/status/1118821911444717568
https://twitter.com/salmanmasood/status/1118846823093940225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geo.tv%2Flatest%2F234580-politicians-journalists-react-to-asad-umar-stepping-down-as-finance-minister
Later on Thursday’s (yesterday) evening, A notification issued by the PM office said Fawad Chaudhry has been allocated the portfolio of minister for science and technology while Ghulam Sarwar Khan would serve as the minister for aviation.
Moreover, Ijaz Ahmed Shah has been notified as Minister for Interior; the portfolio was earlier retained by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/pm-office-notifies-cabinet-reshuffle-fawad-ch-ghulam-sarwar-allocated-new-portfolios/
The notification came hours after Asad Umar stepped down as Finance Minister, refusing to be allocated the portfolio of energy but posing trust in Imran Khan for his Naya Pakistan; Abdul Hafeez Sheikh has now been appointed as the adviser on finance.
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