*ISLAMABAD: Government has decided to appoint noted economist Hafeez Shaikhas Pakistan’s new finance minister after Asad Umar stepped down from hispost earlier in the day.*
*A*fter deliberations spanning over several hours, it was decided that MrShaikh would be appointed as the country’s new finance minister.
Mr Shaikh has served as finance minister from 2010 to 2013 and as Ministerof Privatization and Investment during from 2003 to 2006.
Sources also informed that Brig (Retd) Aijaz Shah would be appointed asInterior Minister, a portfolio which currently rests with Prime MinisterImran Khan.
It was learnt that Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhrywas being assigned the portfolio of Minister for Science and Technology inplace of MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
Apart from the two high profile replacements, it was also decided to keepOmar Ayub as energy minister despite earlier rumours that Asad Umar wouldbe appointed in his place.
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Meanwhile, Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan is to be assigned theMinistry for Kashmir Affairs, which is currently headed by Ali AmeenGandapur, sources informed.
It was not immediately clear which ministry would Ali Ameen Gandapur beassigned after he is removed from his current assignment.
Sources say it was decided that no minister would be dismissed from thecabinet, and the exercise is merely reassignment of portfolios.
According to sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to announce thereshuffle in the cabinet himself when all the reassignments have beenfinalised.
