ISLAMABAD: Former bureaucrat Fawad Hasan Fawad has been appointed as caretaker federal minister.
President Dr Arif Alvi made the appointment on the advice of the Caretaker Prime Minister under Article 224 (1A) of the Constitution.
Fawad said he will meet Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar tomorrow. He said he has served the country diligently and will continue to do so.
Fawad Hasan Fawad served as the principal secretary to former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from November 2015 to June 2018. Fawad was promoted to the rank of Federal Secretary in December 2017.
Fawad Hasan Fawad was accused of corruption and misuse of authority by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Ashiana Housing scam. He was arrested by NAB on 6 July 2018.
On 14 February 2019, the Lahore High Court also granted bail to Fawad in the Ashiana Housing scam, but denied him bail in another NAB reference relating to assets beyond means.
Fawad was granted bail in the assets case in January 2020 by the Lahore High on the grounds that no illegitimate asset belonging to him had been unearthed by NAB.
On 2 February 202, Fawad was acquitted of all charges in the assets beyond means and the Ashiana Housing scam cases due to lack of evidence.
Last month, the Supreme Court dismissed an application seeking bail cancellation of Fawad Hasan Fawad. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the case. The apex court dismissed the plea against Fawad on the grounds of being ineffective.
During the hearing, NAB special prosecutor Rizwan Sati said that Fawad had been acquitted by the trial court in the reference and the request for cancellation of bail had become ineffective due to his acquittal.
