Major cabinet reshuffle

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government on Thursday made major reshuffle in the federal cabinet within its first eight months in office and named former Finance Minister Dr Hafeez Sheikh as Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance, besides other appointments. According to an announcement of Prime Minister Office, former Finance Minister Asad Umar has been replaced with Dr Hafeez Sheikh as new Advisor on Finance. However, no notification was issued in this regard till late night.
Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, who had served as minister for privatisation during Gen Musharraf's tenure, was the finance minister in the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government following the 2008 general elections. A notification issued by Cabinet Division here Thursday night stated that in terms of rule 3(4) of the Rules of Business 1973, the Prime Minister is pleased to reallocate with immediate effect the following portfolios to the federal ministers and ministers of state:
Ch Fawad Hussain, who was acting as federal minister for information and broadcasting, has been given new portfolio of federal minister for science and technology. Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who was federal minister for petroleum, has been given the assignment of aviation ministry. Ijaz Ahmed Shah, who was acting as federal minister for parliamentary affairs, has been appointed as new federal minister for interior.
Shehryar Afridi, who was state minister for interior, has been appointed as minister for states and frontier regions. Consequent to allocation of portfolio of Aviation Division to Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Federal Minister for Privatisation Mohammadmian Soomro shall cease to hold additional portfolio of Aviation Division.
Another notification issued by Cabinet Division stated that in terms of rule 4(6) of the Rules of Business 1973 read with serial number 1A of Schedule V-A of the said rules, the Prime Minister has been pleased to appoint the following persons as special assistants to the Prime Minister with immediate effect:
Dr Zafar Ullah Mirza, Special Assistant to PM on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.
Firdous Ashiq Awan has been appointed as Special Assistant to PM for Information and Broadcasting Division.
Nadeem Baber has been appointed as SA to PM on Petroleum Division.
Meanwhile, Azam Swati, who resigned as the federal minister for science and technology last year, has been named as the Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.