ISLAMABAD – Former finance minister Asad Umar’s departure from the ministry of finance might come as a surprise to the public, however, the reshuffle was decided by Prime Minister Imran Khan days before the official announcement.
Umar, who was presented as the shadow finance minister even before 2013 elections, was also somewhat aware of the changes that were on the cards especially due to the criticism directed at him owing to the fragile economy and rising inflation.
As the embattled regime gears up to steer the economy without Umar, events that led to his ouster are coming to light with well-placed sources revealing a Whatsapp chat between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Umar – a day before the cabinet shakeup.
According to a report by Geo News, Asad Umar and Imran Khan talked about the reshuffling Wednesday night and at a point, the conversation turned tense as Umar was told about leaving the slot and assuming charge as minister of petroleum.
Moreover, when Umar dismissed assuming charge of petroleum minister, the premier tried to cajole him and instead offered him to continue to head a selection of cabinet committees, including the Economic Coordination Committee, Cabinet Committee of Privatization and the Executive Committee of National Economic Council, which are otherwise the domain of the prime minister.
Asad Umar shot down the proposal altogether for the reason that the new finance minister would desire to head these committees himself and that would create a rift between the two.
Sources close to the PM House say Imran Khan had made up his mind to install a technocrat instead of Asad Umar for which the news was leaked to the media in a bid to prepare the investors and businessman.
Umar had his critics within the party as well, especially over the amnesty scheme for which the cabinet brainstormed but did not make any decision; Minister for Communications Murad Saeed and other opposed the scheme during the cabinet meeting.
Though Umar’s ouster might come as a surprise to the public, the PTI leader himself was not completely in the dark as the news of his replacement was planted in the power corridors before the announcement.
Political commentators say Imran Khan was aware of the flak he was facing owing to the cash-strapped economy and so he wanted to replace Asad Umar; the premier also wanted to hand over the portfolio of the interior for which Ijaz Shah was chosen.
