ISLAMABAD, Apr 7 (NNN-APP) – Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, on Monday evening, reshuffled the federal cabinet by changing portfolios for different ministers and by making fresh appointments in different ministries and ministerial departments, the Prime Minister Office said.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister Office, Khan appointed Muhammad Hammad Azhar as Federal Minister for Industries, who was earlier serving as Minister for Economic Affairs.
Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, who was serving Minister for National Food Security has replaced Azhar as Minister for Economic Affairs, while Syed Fakhar Imam, replaced Bakhtiar in his previous portfolio.
The prime minister also accepted the resignation of Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui as Federal Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication, said the statement, adding that, Syed Amin Ul Haque has been appointed as Federal Minister for Telecom.
In addition to the above-mentioned changes, the prime minister also made some replacements and appoints in his advisers and bureaucracy, including the appointment of Babar Awan as an Adviser to the Prime Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
The Prime Minister Office did not disclose the reason behind the reshuffle. However, local media quoted sources close to the prime minister as saying that, the changes were made in the backdrop of an inquiry into the sugar crises, which caused high rates and shortage of the commodity in the country. No official confirmed the reports yet.
The prime minister on Sunday said that, he made the preliminary reports into sudden price hikes of sugar and wheat public, which would lead the country to transparency, promising that “no powerful lobby will be able to profiteer at the expense of our public.”
The reshuffle was made at a time when the country is running a nationwide campaign to fight against the spreading COVID-19. Pakistan reported over 3,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 50 deaths so far.
