ISLAMABAD: Awn Chaudhry has been appointed as the adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on sports and tourism.
President Arif Alvi approved the appointment on the advice of PM Shehbaz Sharif, following which an official notification was also issued. According to the notification, Chaudhry’s post will be equal to that of a federal minister.
Awn Chaudhry is a prominent member of the Jehangir Tareen Group, which had split from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He was part of the first phase of PM Shehbaz Sharif’s federal cabinet.
Awn Chaudhry was a close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He earlier served as Special Coordinator to Chief Minister Punjab on Political Affairs.
In August last year, Chaudhry tendered his resignation after he was asked to disassociate himself from the Jahangir Tareen group or step down from the post.
Chaudhry was told to stop lobbying for the PTI faction, which he refused, and instead turned in a prepared resignation letter he had brought with him.
Chaudhry shared the letter with the media during prayer break and said he was called to meet then Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar.
In the letter, the PTI leader expressed anger over the treatment meted out to him by the party whom he said he had served selflessly.
