Finance Minister Asad Umar — an hour after announcing that he is stepping down as finance minister — told a press conference that it was time to make some "difficult decisions" to stabilise the economy and that he hopes his replacement would be supported in their efforts.
Umar announced earlier on Thursday that he has obtained the prime minister's consent "to not take any cabinet position" days after reports of a reshuffle in the cabinet were rubbished by the government's spokesperson.
"As part of a cabinet reshuffle, [the] prime minister desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance," he said. "However, I have obtained his consent to not take any cabinet position."
Umar ended his tweet by saying: "I strongly believe @ImranKhanPTI is the best hope for Pakistan and inshAllah will make a naya Pakistan."
During the press conference, Umar said following a reshuffle in the cabinet, he was asked to take the energy portfolio.
"I met the prime minister this morning and convinced him that I did not want to take any portfolio," he said.
"This does not mean that I am not available to forward PTI’s vision for 'Naya Pakistan'. I am and will always be available to forward the interests of this country.
"It was on exactly this date in 2012, when newspapers had announced that I was joining the PTI. Today seven years later, I am giving you this news.
"It has been a wonderful journey of seven years and I will continue this journey.
"I need to thank the PTI’s youth for their enthusiasm. I need to say that when we came in, the economy was in a dangerous and sorry state, we were standing near a ditch, one move and we would have been in the ditch. The state of the economy is still not great [and] the next finance minister that comes in will still have a hard time.
"What I want is that whoever comes in is supported when they make difficult decisions for the sake of the nation.
"I believe that this decision should be made as soon as possible ... we are about to go to the IMF, we are about to present the budget. This is already too late, the next person should have come in earlier, at least a month ago."
'Disappointment' among PTI ranks
It is unclear whether Umar has officially submitted a resignation, and whether it has been accepted.
In a video recorded soon after the news broke, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari told reporters that she had no idea about the development. "I was just in a meeting and Asad Umar was the finance minister [in the meeting], so I have no idea if anything else has happened," she said.
PML-N leader and Umar's brother Mohammad Zubair while speaking to DawnNewsTV said he hopes "whoever comes now will take a running start and implement the things that need to be done."
Journalist Meher Bokhari told media that there is some disappointment over the news in Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf circles because Umar is admired and looked up to in the party.
Reports of reshuffle
Reports were circulating earlier this week about a possible reshuffle in the post for Minister for Finance and Minister of State for Interior held by Asad Umar and Shehryar Afridi respectively.
The government in general and the finance minister in particular have faced mounting criticism by opposition parties, members of the business community and citizens over the handling of the economic crisis.
The information minister, although he had not addressed the specific changes reported to the portfolios, had dismissed the reports, saying there was "no truth" to them.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority had also issued show-cause notices to ARY News and Bol News for airing news items regarding the reshuffle in the cabinet and change in the portfolios of some federal ministers.
Umar recently returned from a trip to Washington in which the details of Pakistan's next International Monetary Fund bailout were finalised, documented and signed. An IMF mission is expected to visit Islamabad before the end of the month to work out technical tables since all major issues had been settled and documented, Umar had said.Finance Minister Asad Umar has decided to quit the Federal Cabinet instead of taking the energy ministry as desired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Umar announced earlier on Thursday that he has obtained the prime minister's consent "to not take any cabinet position" days after reports of a reshuffle in the cabinet were rubbished by the government's spokesperson.
"As part of a cabinet reshuffle, [the] prime minister desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance," he said. "However, I have obtained his consent to not take any cabinet position."
In a social media message Thursday, the PTI’s finance guru stated that the prime minister wants him to take charge as energy minister.
However, Umar added that he does not wish to take charge of any other ministry, and would rather not be a part of PM's cabinet anymore.
As part of a cabinet reshuffle PM desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance. However, I have obtained his consent to not take any cabinet position. I strongly believe @ImranKhanPTI is the best hope for Pakistan and inshallah will make a naya pakistan," reads Umar's tweet.
Citing credible sources, Geo News reported that Umar has already handed over his resignation as Finance Minister to the premier.
Credible government sources have confided that former finance minister Shaukat Tareen may be inducted as PM's Advisor on Finance. Hafeez Pasha and Salman Shah are also among the strong contenders for the prime slot.
A couple of days ago, Information Minister Fawad Ch categorically rejected reports of any change in the Federal Cabinet.
He said it was prerogative of Prime Minister Imran Khan to change portfolios, but he was satisfied with the performance of cabinet colleagues, that was why they were performing their respective duties.
'Imran Khan is real problem'
Reacting to the development, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzem blamed policies of PM Imran Khan for the economic mess that has been created.
"If PTI’s and Asad Umer’s policies were so good, and the problems were from PMLN government,then why was he asked to step down.This is an admission by IK that his polices have created an economic crisis in Pakistan. the real problem is not Asad. It is the PM."
