Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has removed Shamshad Akhtar as Minister for Privatization, reported a private Tv channel, citing sources. The caretaker government has taken major steps regarding the authority to negotiate agreements with other countries. Sources said that the Finance Minister has also been removed as head of the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions. Whereas Fawad Hasan Fawad is expected to become the Federal Minister for Privatization, sources added. Earlier reports emerged that the minister told the Senate’s Standing Committee on Finance that she sometimes wonders why she took the job. However, reports said that she added that the comments had been made on a lighter note.

She also told the committee that the state of the economy was worse than she expected and that the caretaker government would provide a roadmap soon. However, later in her clarification statement Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar said that comments about wondering why she took up a post in the cabinet were ‘misinterpreted’. In the video, Shamshad Akhtar said that she had said that many people asked her why she had taken up the job of finance minister in such challenging times. However, Shamshad Akhtar added that it was an honour to be able to serve Pakistan at such a time. The clarification was issued as a video by Information Minister Murtaza Solangi on X, former Tiwtter.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)