Asad Umar returns to federal cabinet as planning minister

ISLAMABAD: Former finance minister Asad Umar has taken oath as the Minister for Planning and Special Initiatives.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar returned to the federal cabinet today by taking an oath.

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Asad Umar replaced Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar as minister for planning and development, while the Bakhtiar has been given the petroleum portfolio.

President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath at President House in Islamabad on Tuesday.

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Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan announced Asad Umar’s appointment by saying that changes and expansion have taken place in the cabinet.

Asad Umar on this occasion said, “About returning to the cabinet, I always used to say that when the mindsets of Prime Minister Imran Khan and me get aligned at one point, I would return to the cabinet.”

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He further said, “Speaking about his priorities as the minister for planning and special initiative, the planning, monitoring and implementation of Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) will be a major task alongside the implementation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).”

Umar further said that he would also be working on other areas not part of the planning and development ministry.

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Earlier in April 2019, Asad Umar was removed by the prime minister as a finance minister within eight months.