Hafeez Shaikh sacked as Finance Minister | replaced by Hammad Azhar

[ASKardar]

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has decided to remove Hafeez Shaikh as finance minister, ARY News reported on Monday, citing sources.

Sources privy to this development say the Prime Minister will reshuffle the portfolios of several ministers and Hammad Azhar, who is currently serving as Federal Minister for Industries and Production, will be given an additional portfolio of the finance ministry.

Adviser on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was made the finance minister back in December 2020.

He was sworn in as the federal minister in the wake of the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) December 7 ruling that held that unelected advisers and special assistants could not head government’s committees. The court had set aside a notification regarding the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) headed by Dr Shaikh.

Though mostly elected representatives i.e. members of the National Assembly or Senate can be appointed as federal ministers, a clause in the Constitution provides for a short-term appointment of non-elected ministers.

“A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the National Assembly shall, at the expiration of that period, cease to be a Minister and shall not before the dissolution of that Assembly be again appointed a Minister unless he is elected a member of that Assembly,” reads the clause nine of Article 91 of the Constitution.

The ruling party fielded Hafeez Shaikh from Islamabad for Senate seat but had suffered a setback when Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh lost a seat from Islamabad to a joint candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal cabinet is expected to undergo a reshuffle in the ongoing week.

According to sources, the premier after recovering from COVID-19 will reshuffle the cabinet on the basis of performance.

Newly-elected Senators Shibli Faraz and Faisal Vawd and Usman Dar are expected to become a part of the cabinet again. Reshuffling of SAPMs is also on the cards, the sources privy to the development said.

In December 2020, during the last reshuffle, PM Imran Khan changed the portfolios of cabinet members and appointed Sheikh Rasheed as the interior minister.

https://arynews.tv/en/hafeez-shaikh-finance-minister-cabinet

 

[Verve]

Senate elections was well played by IK by putting Hafeez Sheikh against Gillani - IMF man now removed from Cabinet!

@Norwegian - told you so! What a theory that was eh! Bullseye!

 

[The Eagle]

His Finance Division portfolio was withdrawn due to protest by Hafeez Shaikh I think. Is this related to State Bank law, the conspiracies & rumors around?

 

[Verve]

His Finance Division portfolio was withdrawn due to protest by Hafeez Shaikh I think. Is this related to State Bank law, the conspiracies & rumors around?

Hafeez Sheikh wanted control over everything including FBR as well.

During the Senate elections, I put this theory forward that HS was nominated by IK to lose the seat and remove him from Cabinet. IK could have easily had HS won from KPK if HS was to be kept as FM come what may.

I foresee Shabbar returning in some official capacity in near future. Both Azhar and Shabbar lost their portfolios due to Hafeez Sheikh.

 

[Verve]

It is being reported that IK was not happy with HS's performance for 'some time' ...

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

It is unfortunately a technicality , he lost the election in Senate
Thank you for your services - I am sure he will fine a different reasonable role which interests his experience

 

[Abdulrehman 2978]

Who are even these sources. No one should make a claim or start doing debate until official confirmation. These sources are aliens from Mars who know everything somehow.

 

[313ghazi]

The government on Monday decided to remove Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh from the post of finance minister and replace him with Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Senator Shibli Faraz confirmed to Samaa TV.

According to Faraz, Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to bring in a new finance team in view of "the inflation that had taken place".

Azhar is the third finance minister to be appointed since the PTI came to power in 2018.

Prime Minister Imran "gave the portfolio of finance to Hammad Azhar who is a young and able minister so that he devises policies according to the ground realities of Pakistan and the poor get relief", said Faraz.

He said that he did not know about Sheikh's future in the government, adding that further likely changes in the cabinet will be disclosed by tomorrow.

The move comes weeks after Hafeez Shaikh, who enjoyed the status of minister since December last year, lost the bid for a Senate seat to PPP's Yousuf Raza Gilani, leading to questions about his status in the federal cabinet.

Shaikh, who is not a member of Parliament, was previously an adviser to the premier on finance and was appointed as finance minister in December last year. However, as per Article 91 (9) of the Constitution, he cannot remain a minister for more than six months until he is elected to one of the houses. Thus, it was necessary for him to be elected to the Senate this time around in order to continue as the finance minister after June.

Following his loss, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan had questioned how Sheikh could be in the office as an unelected member of the cabinet despite losing the Senate election.

PM Imran decides to remove Hafeez Shaikh, give finance portfolio to Hammad Azhar

Information minister says PM Imran decided to bring in a new finance team in view of "the inflation that had taken place".

www.dawn.com

 

[HAIDER]

Supreme court sword for unelected holding portfolio.

 

[313ghazi]

=====

PMIK strikes again. He warned people to deliver results and its clear he's taking action where that is not the case. Let's hope it has the desired effect.

 

[Dil_Pakistan]

Decent decision IMO but totally stupid sttement given by Shibli Faraz. Why is Shibli still info minster? Who will sack him? I think almost everyone was aware that after not becoming senator, it will not be lawfully possible for HS to head important economic meetings. Saying he was removed bcz of inflation is like an own goal.

 

[Mrc]

Good decision

 

[darksider]

They have to control inflation other wise people will never vote for pti or Imran khan again.
Inflation is sky rocketing even before ramdan.
In ramdan it will be even more worse.
Mafias are more strong in pti government.they are unable to control them.

 

[VCheng]

According to Faraz, Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to bring in a new finance team in view of "the inflation that had taken place".

Changing faces will not mean much if the policies remain the same. Please tell us what the new team will do anything differently to control inflation.

 

[Bilal.]

It is incompetent of the government of Imran Khan. A central government does not take so many U-turns on the decisions.

Are they working for local society? Without a proper plan and discussion, are they promoting someone as FM and then change it. Was any plan before the election about reforming and who are the eligible persons for the next tasks and roles?

Every year, you can't change the people who are working in such critical positions.

Now, the question is " Who will be the next FM in coming year"

He can’t stay, Supreme Court ruled that unelected people can’t hold such post. That’s why he was made to compete in senate elections but failed. He was serving through an ordinance pending the senate elections.