The portfolio of federal minister for Revenue Division has been taken back from Hammad Azhar, a day after he was appointed to the post.
“Hammad Azhar will hold the portfolio of Economic Affairs Division, with immediate effect, as allocated by the prime minister in terms of rule 3(4) of the Rules of Business, 1973,” according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Wednesday. “The prime minister has also approved that Adviser to the PM Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh shall cease to hold the portfolio of Economic Affairs Division, with immediate effect,” the notification read. “The earlier allocated portfolio of Revenue Division to Hammad Azhar, Federal Minister, and cessation of portfolio of Revenue Division by Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, may be treated as withdrawn,” it added.
On July 8, a notification issued by the Cabinet Division had revealed that Azhar, the former minister of state for revenue, had been appointed the federal minister for Revenue Division. Azhar’s ascension had meant that Dr Hafeez Sheikh no longer held the portfolio of Revenue Division adviser. However, in a ‘partial modification’ of its July 8 notification, the Cabinet Division has announced that Prime Minister Imran Khan has now appointed Azhar as the federal minister for Economic Affairs Division, while Dr Sheikh has been restored to the office of Revenue Division adviser. Dr Sheikh will no longer hold the office of adviser to the prime minister on economic affairs.
