Shibli Faraz appointed new information minister [Asim Bajwa steps down as SAPM on Information]

[MenInG]

PTI Senator Shibli Faraz has been appointed the new information minister of the country, federal minister Fawad Chaudhry announced through Twitter.

Meanwhile, retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa has been appointed as special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) for information, a title previously held by Firdous Ashiq Awan.


A notification announcing the changes is expected to be issued by the government; however, the announcement was first made by Chaudhry, the minister for science and technology who earlier held the information portfolio.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Faraz — who was appointed as the leader of the house in Senate in August 2018 — was elected to the upper house in March 2015 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He is the son of acclaimed (late) poet Ahmed Faraz.

Retired Lt Gen Bajwa had served as Commander Southern Command before his retirement. He remained the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) from 2012 to 2016.

In November last year, Bajwa was appointed by the government as the chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (CPECA), which comes under the planning and development ministry.

Who is Firdous Ashiq Awan?
Firdous Ashiq Awan, who was a PPP stalwart before she joined the PTI in May 2017, was named the SAPM on information and broadcasting as part of a major cabinet reshuffle in April 2019, eight months after Prime Minister Imran Khan took office.

Awan, along with her husband, was a staunch supporter of the PPP until party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari consolidated his control over the party.

She began her political career in 1990 with a focus on improving the healthcare system, and founded the Society for Health and Development and Exchange.

In 2002, she was elected to NA-286 on a reserved seat for women. In 2008, she successfully contested the NA-111 poll and was appointed the federal minister for population welfare. She later served as the information minister in the PPP government.

In 2013, she again contested the NA-111 poll but this time was unsuccessful. In 2015, she resigned as the PPP Punjab vice president before joining the PTI two years later.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1552668/s...-asim-bajwa-replaces-firdous-ashiq-awan-fawad

 

[trickyone]

Master Stroke by Imran Khan to put Highest Retired Military Rank officer in Information Technology. Time to revamp Civilian Bureaucracy the way he did the ISPR...

 

[gazza619]

Dont really follow our political news very deeply these days but I always found it hard to take anything seriously which Firdous Ashiq Awan had to say.

Surely this has got to be a good move?

 

[the Great Khan]

good move. was never a big fan of firdous but she did give the jahil patwaris a run for their money. Having the retired general around will raise standards and create a proper info ministry. Step in the right direction.

 

[Bigboii]

might as well change the pm and install the real master, army chief as president than there wouldn't be this shadow dictatorship weirdness that's going on

 

[Mueez]

Smart tactical move by IK.

Whoever misuses his/her power should be ousted.

 

[MenInG]

PTI Senator Shibli Faraz has been appointed the new information minister of the country, federal minister Fawad Chaudhry and state-run Pakistan Television announced on Monday.

Meanwhile, retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa has been appointed as special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) for information, a title previously held by Firdous Ashiq Awan.

"The prime minister ... has been pleased to appoint Lt Gen (Rtd) Asim Saleem Bajwa as special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting, in [an] honorary capacity, with immediate effect," a notification issued by the Cabinet Division said.

A second notification read: "The prime minister has been pleased to remove Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan from the office of special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting, with immediate effect."

The announcement was first made by Chaudhry, the minister for science and technology who earlier held the information portfolio.

The reason for the changes announced was not immediately clear. It also remains unclear if Awan will be assigned another portfolio.

Who is Shibli Faraz?

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Faraz — who was appointed as the leader of the house in Senate in August 2018 — was elected to the upper house in March 2015 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He is the son of acclaimed (late) poet Ahmed Faraz.

Faraz, a former banker, is chairman of the Senate’s standing committee on commerce and special committee on circular debt. He is also a member of the committee on planning and development and reforms, water resources, statistics, and climate change and a member of the parliamentary committee on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

He did a Master’s in International Relations from the University de Los Andes (Colombia) in 1994.

Ex-army spokesman to represent govt

Retired Lt Gen Bajwa had served as Commander Southern Command before his retirement. He remained the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) from 2012 to 2016.

In November last year, Bajwa was appointed by the government as the chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (CPECA), which comes under the planning and development ministry.

Firdous Ashiq Awan, who was a PPP stalwart before she joined the PTI in May 2017, was named the SAPM on information and broadcasting as part of a major cabinet reshuffle in April 2019, eight months after Prime Minister Imran Khan took office.

Awan, along with her husband, was a staunch supporter of the PPP until party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari consolidated his control over the party.

She began her political career in 1990 with a focus on improving the healthcare system, and founded the Society for Health and Development and Exchange.

In 2002, she was elected to NA-286 on a reserved seat for women. In 2008, she successfully contested the NA-111 poll and was appointed the federal minister for population welfare. She later served as the information minister in the PPP government.

In 2013, she again contested the NA-111 poll but this time was unsuccessful. In 2015, she resigned as the PPP Punjab vice president before joining the PTI two years later.

Reactions

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari congratulated Faraz on becoming the information minister, terming him "an old PTI member and a dignified man with gravitas".

Referring to Faraz as an "honourable and dignified man", Fawad Chaudhry on Twitter said the senator and the "brilliant" Bajwa will both make "a great team".

Former Pakistan ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi in a tweet said the changes were a "good move by the government".

https://www.dawn.com/news/1552668/s...nister-asim-bajwa-replaces-firdous-ashiq-awan

 

[Syed1]

might as well change the pm and install the real master, army chief as president than there wouldn't be this shadow dictatorship weirdness that's going on

You do know a retired army officer can even run for elections and be PM?

Asim Saleem Bajwa has been retired for a few years and as former head of ISPR he has experience of managing and streamlining the military information department, now he has a shot at fixing the civilian one. It's not like appointing an ex-military guy was the first choice of the current government. They had appointed two separate info ministers before him but the standards of PTV and broadcasting didn't change, the government is now trying with an ex-military with relevant experience.


Surprisingly the narratives of patwaris and Indians match cent percent. No wonder patwaris daddy Nawaz Sharif invited Modi killer of Muslims to his granddaughter's wedding. If one is a patwari I automatically judge their loyalty to the state.

 

[mmkextreme_1]

Excellent move by PM Imran Khan. Shibli Faraz as head of the IT ministry is also a great move, definitely will be an upgrade over Fawad Chaudry.

Asim Bajwa changed the whole complexion of ISPR when he had taken over. This guy is extremely smart and capable. The modern day ISPR is all because of his hard work, so he definitely has the experience.

 

[Knight_Rider]

Master Stroke by Imran Khan to put Highest Retired Military Rank officer in Information Technology. Time to revamp Civilian Bureaucracy the way he did the ISPR...

And appointing the Retd. Army general as a “special assistant” is something, that he should be proud of?

Who is appointing who? is the real question here.

 

[Knight_Rider]

might as well change the pm and install the real master, army chief as president than there wouldn't be this shadow dictatorship weirdness that's going on

+1.

And Lol@ all those who are blown over by this new Master stroke. As for Firdous Aashiq Awan, she may not be competent but she had a “presence” whenever she was on the TV.

 

[Greenstorm]

Right move. Firdous aapa was unbearable.

 

[King-Misbah]

+1.

And Lol@ all those who are blown over by this new Master stroke. As for Firdous Aashiq Awan, she may not be competent but she had a “presence” whenever she was on the TV.

So its more important to have a presence then being competent :s

 

[Bewal Express]

It was mistake to appoint her and its a good decision to get rid of her. Shabaz Gill is excellent, Ch FWD was very good but FAA showed little.

 

[angrypathan]

You do know a retired army officer can even run for elections and be PM?

Asim Saleem Bajwa has been retired for a few years and as former head of ISPR he has experience of managing and streamlining the military information department, now he has a shot at fixing the civilian one. It's not like appointing an ex-military guy was the first choice of the current government. They had appointed two separate info ministers before him but the standards of PTV and broadcasting didn't change, the government is now trying with an ex-military with relevant experience.


Surprisingly the narratives of patwaris and Indians match cent percent. No wonder patwaris daddy Nawaz Sharif invited Modi killer of Muslims to his granddaughter's wedding. If one is a patwari I automatically judge their loyalty to the state.

He's been retired for about 6 months actually. He held a post in the Army based in Balochistan till late last year.

 

[MenInG]

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Saturday lauded the "exemplary role" played by journalists during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and said that the government wants to give "good news" to the journalist community before Eid.

He made these remarks on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day during a media briefing in Islamabad.

"You [journalists] stood with Imran Khan's struggle. How can we [the government] talk against you? How can we take any action that might harm your interests?" Faraz questioned.

The minister paid tribute to the "exemplary" role journalists have played during the coronavirus pandemic and said that the entire nation is grateful and appreciative of the work journalists are putting in.

The information minister announced that he will meet with representatives from the journalists' community day after tomorrow.

"I will be meeting with representatives from the journalist community. And if you have fair demands, forget weeks, we will deal with them as soon as possible before Eid," said Faraz, adding that the government wanted to give good news to journalists before Eid.

Discussing his personal background, Faraz said that he is currently in a situation that requires him to strike a balance between addressing the demands of journalists and presenting the point of view of the federal government.

"Most of you know that I belong to a family of journalists and authors. Look at my background. Can I ever go against your [journalists'] interests?" Faraz asked, adding that from the government's point of view, journalists are playing a critical role in the "social culture" of the country.

The information minister assured the journalists of his utmost cooperation going forward and said that "his purpose for coming here today" is to understand the problems of journalists so that he could try to relate to them.

"My most important work is to work for your welfare. I will not be the judge, I will be the advocate. Whatever your demands may be, I will read them, I will understand them and I will work hard to ensure that the government isn't giving you a strict hand," Faraz told the journalists.

"Shibli Faraz will only succeed as information minister if I don't let you down and you don't let me down," he concluded.

Earlier, the information minister said that "freedom of speech is the basic principle of any civilised society".

In a tweet, Faraz shared his message for World Press Freedom Day by paying tribute to the journalists who made countless sacrifices for the "sanctity of the pen".

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the country's journalist community, which he said continues to "uphold the banner of free press despite targeted attacks by the government".

Sharif blasted the government for corroding media independence in the country, adding that the history will remember "Imran Khan's reign as a black chapter in its annals".

Former PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar paid tribute to all the journalists who have been killed and tortured in Pakistan and around the world.

He also said that Sajid Hussain, a Baloch journalist who was found dead recently in Sweden, was in his thoughts.

Meanwhile, in a video message shared on Twitter, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said that "journalists and media workers help us make informed decisions that could make the difference between life and death".

"I call on governments to protect media freedom and support journalists so they can do their jobs throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond," he added in his World Press Freedom Day message.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1554242/s...covid-19-crisis-promises-good-news-before-eid

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday appointed PTI member Shahbaz Gill as his special assistant on political communication.

According to a notification by the Cabinet Division: "The Prime Minister, In terms of rule 4(6) of the Rules of Business, 1973 read with serial No.1 A or Schedule-V-A of the said Rules has been pleased to appoint Dr. Shahbaz Gill as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication, with immediate effect."

The appointment has been made on honorary basis, the notification read.

Gill, in September last year, resigned as the spokesman to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar.

"I hereby resign from the post of Official Spokesperson to CM Punjab," Gill had written in a hand-written note without specifying any reason.

Cabinet size reaches 50

Earlier, in April, PM Imran's cabinet reached 50 members which include federal and state ministers, special assistants, and advisers.

According to the breakdown, of the 50 cabinet members, the premier has appointed 27 federal ministers, four state ministers, five advisers, and 14 special assistants in total.

PM Imran has promoted only two of his special assistants — Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Dr Sania Nishtar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Establishment Mohammad Shahzad Arbab — as federal ministers.

 

[Abdullah719]

Asim Bajwa decides to step down as special assistant to prime minister on information

Lieutenant General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa has decided to step down from the post of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information, he confirmed while speaking to a private news channel Thursday night.

However, he clarified that he will continue to retain the post of CPEC Authority chairman.

“I have taken this decision to fully focus on CPEC which is the future of Pakistan and I will submit my resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan tomorrow morning (Friday),” he said, adding that he will request the premier to relieve him from the duties of SPAM so that he could fully focus on CPEC related projects.

The development comes hours after he had issued a detailed rebuttal of the blatant allegations of assets concealment levelled by a journalist in a report published on a little-known website.

Asim Bajwa has dismissed the allegations as “false and incorrect”.

“I strongly rebut the baseless allegations levelled against me and my family. Alhamdolillah another attempt to damage our reputation belied/exposed. I have and will always serve Pakistan with pride and dignity,” he wrote on the popular microblogging site.

In April, PM Imran had appointed PTI Senator Shibli Faraz as the new information minister and Bajwa as his special assistant on information and broadcasting, removing Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan from the post.

Bajwa was appointed as the first chairman of the newly-established CPEC Authority last year in November.

The authority was established through a presidential ordinance for coordination, monitoring and evaluation to ensure implementation of CPEC-related activities.

The retired lieutenant general had also served on the important posts in army including director general Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), commander Southern Command and others.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/226238...al-assistant-to-prime-minister-on-information

 

[srh]

Asim Bajwa decides to step down as special assistant to prime minister on information

Lieutenant General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa has decided to step down from the post of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information, he confirmed while speaking to a private news channel Thursday night.

However, he clarified that he will continue to retain the post of CPEC Authority chairman.

“I have taken this decision to fully focus on CPEC which is the future of Pakistan and I will submit my resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan tomorrow morning (Friday),” he said, adding that he will request the premier to relieve him from the duties of SPAM so that he could fully focus on CPEC related projects.

The development comes hours after he had issued a detailed rebuttal of the blatant allegations of assets concealment levelled by a journalist in a report published on a little-known website.

Asim Bajwa has dismissed the allegations as “false and incorrect”.

“I strongly rebut the baseless allegations levelled against me and my family. Alhamdolillah another attempt to damage our reputation belied/exposed. I have and will always serve Pakistan with pride and dignity,” he wrote on the popular microblogging site.

In April, PM Imran had appointed PTI Senator Shibli Faraz as the new information minister and Bajwa as his special assistant on information and broadcasting, removing Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan from the post.

Bajwa was appointed as the first chairman of the newly-established CPEC Authority last year in November.

The authority was established through a presidential ordinance for coordination, monitoring and evaluation to ensure implementation of CPEC-related activities.

The retired lieutenant general had also served on the important posts in army including director general Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), commander Southern Command and others.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/226238...al-assistant-to-prime-minister-on-information

daal mai kuch kala hai

 

[angrypathan]

Smells fishy.

 

[Syed1]

daal mai kuch kala hai

Pehlay ja kay apni Noora ki daal dekho gulli kay nahi.


Can't believe supporters of corrupt looters and plunderers have the gall to accuse a guy like Asim Bajwa who even rebutted the fake news and resigned on high moral ground.


Compare this with the guy you support whose name appeared in the Panama Papers and the whole country had to go in turmoil for 1.5 years for him to be forcibly removed and kicked out. Then he started braying 'mughay kyun nikala' and people like you lapped it up.

 

[Abdullah719]

Bajwa resignation rejected by IK.