Zafar Mirza resigns as Special Assistant to PM Imran Khan on Health [Update #28]

[WebGuru]

Islamabad : The global and national public health fraternity has welcomed the appointment of eminent public health specialist Dr. Zafar Mirza as Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. Dr. Zafar Mirza is currently serving as Director, Health System Development at the World Health Organization’s Regional Office in Cairo.

Assigning health at the federal level to a top expert in the field with years of relevant experience in Pakistan and at the regional and global levels is expected to augur well for the reform agenda promised by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The new incumbent has the vision, capacity and capability to introduce and implement sweeping reforms in health.

Until yesterday, Dr. Zafar Mirza was serving at the post of Director Health System Development at WHO’s Office for Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) based in Cairo, Egypt. The post portfolio covers Universal Health Coverage, primary healthcare, health governance and financing, health workforce development, integrated health service delivery, pharmaceuticals and health technologies.

Dr. Zafar Mirza also served as acting WHO Representative in Iran and remained team lead for Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property at WHO, Geneva. He remained Regional Adviser for Essential Medicines and Pharmaceuticals in Cairo. Earlier on, he served as founding National Coordinator of The Network for Consumer Protection in Pakistan.

Eisenhower Fellow (2004), Britannia Scholar (1994), and holder of a Masters degree in Public Health (London), Dr. Zafar had been on the faculty of Boston School of Public Health, Joint Faculty of WHO Harvard Medical School and the Federal Health Services Academy of Pakistan.


Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/460360-zafar-mirza-s-appointment-hailed

 

[WebGuru]

Interestingly there were threads about IK's appointment like Ijaz Shah but no thread on appointments like Zafar Mirza?

Who is Dr Zafar Mirza?

Dr Zafar Mirza is the Director of Health System Development at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. He is a medical doctor with post-graduation in Public Health in Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a clinical stint in mental health.

Before his current responsibility he was leading the Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property team at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, for 6 years. He also served as a Regional Adviser for Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies in the WHO Regional Office for 5 years prior to moving to WHO headquarters. For 12 years before joining WHO, he was a founder Executive Director of a civil society organization – The Network for Consumer Protection in Pakistan.

He has a long standing experience of working at national, regional and global levels in public and private health sectors. He has extensively travelled, published and contributed to improving public health in many countries.

 

[Mamoon]

This is an excellent appointment and someone who has the credentials to bring expertise to this role. Unfortunately, same cannot be said about the other appointments.

 

[WebGuru]

This is an excellent appointment and someone who has the credentials to bring expertise to this role. Unfortunately, same cannot be said about the other appointments.

Hafeez Shaikh credentials are not bad it's just that he had 2 totally opposite innings. Remember he was the best performing Minister under Musharraf govt and thn failed badly in PPP govt but thn again every finance minister in PPP govt failed so they had to keep changing them.

 

[Mamoon]

Hafeez Shaikh credentials are not bad it's just that he had 2 totally opposite innings. Remember he was the best performing Minister under Musharraf govt and thn failed badly in PPP govt but thn again every finance minister in PPP govt failed so they had to keep changing them.

That is debatable, but he has completely botched the reshuffling of Fawad Chaudhry and the appointment of Firdous Awan.

 

[Major]

then why couldnt they bring him on earlier, why was this post given to aamir kayani before?

 

[WebGuru]

then why couldnt they bring him on earlier, why was this post given to aamir kayani before?

Because "Parliament ki baala dasti" card is played by opposition when you appoint someone from outside the Parliament. Fazlu is already asking IK to resign for appointing technocrates from outside the Parliament.

 

[Bewal Express]

Good move by Kaptaan.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Good placement.

 

[Runner Up]

Unofficial presidential system already in force.

 

[Afhan Ali]

This is an excellent appointment and someone who has the credentials to bring expertise to this role. Unfortunately, same cannot be said about the other appointments.

Any other person who has the credentials to bring expertise to some other roles( ministries) ?

 

[Afhan Ali]

Atif Mian as minister of finance could be a best option.

 

[WebGuru]

Unofficial presidential system already in force.

True

 

[Mamoon]

Any other person who has the credentials to bring expertise to some other roles( ministries) ?

In our political environment, it is difficult to develop competencies. We focus too much on corruption and the military have a stranglehold on the civilian government.

That is why PTI’s talk of tabdeeli was hot air. You cannot bring tabdeeli with the people who served the parties that you criticize.

 

[Afhan Ali]

In our political environment, it is difficult to develop competencies. We focus too much on corruption and the military have a stranglehold on the civilian government.

That is why PTI’s talk of tabdeeli was hot air. You cannot bring tabdeeli with the people who served the parties that you criticize.

So than stable and economically strong Pakistan is just a dream because the military will always stranglehold on the civilian government

 

[Junaid_ahmed]

Hafeez Shaikh credentials are not bad it's just that he had 2 totally opposite innings. Remember he was the best performing Minister under Musharraf govt and thn failed badly in PPP govt but thn again every finance minister in PPP govt failed so they had to keep changing them.

It was his misfortune that during PPP time there was global recession & Pakistan's economy which is always been poor was gotten almost bankrupt due to that recession.

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

The world of politics stopped making sense to me.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hear Hafeez Shaikh on way out! After destroyong economy he shd be held accountable 4 his sins not simply allowed exit! Same 4 his cronies!</p>— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/302631018765115393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Mamoon]

The world of politics stopped making sense to me.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hear Hafeez Shaikh on way out! After destroyong economy he shd be held accountable 4 his sins not simply allowed exit! Same 4 his cronies!</p>— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/302631018765115393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

She also called him America’s man in the past. It just gets worse and worse for PTI supporters. It only took 8 months for them to be humiliated.

 

[Mamoon]

So than stable and economically strong Pakistan is just a dream because the military will always stranglehold on the civilian government

Absolutely. As long as military calls the shots and our accountability is driven by honesty and not performance, there is no hope for this country.

 

[Junaid_ahmed]

In our political environment, it is difficult to develop competencies. We focus too much on corruption and the military have a stranglehold on the civilian government.

That is why PTI’s talk of tabdeeli was hot air. You cannot bring tabdeeli with the people who served the parties that you criticize.

Politics of electables is the harsh truth of this slave society. No one can make the government without these lotaas. Majority of the voters vote on the basis language, caste, sect, race and etc etc. If Dr. Zafar Mirza fight an election even from the posh area of Karachi, Islamabad or Lahore, peoples won't vote him. So I think only Allah SWT can bring immediate change in Pakistan. As far as tabdeeli talk of PTI, it was just the slogan to gain popularity. It was the marketing strategy to bring something new in the tough competitive & saturated market. Was similar to roti kapra or makan slogan of PPP. Both were new & both clicked.

And for military control on govt, to me our coward & opportunist judiciary is the reason behind this. Since 1954 this judiciary either have laid in front of army or they made the most of that chance.

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Absolutely. As long as military calls the shots and our accountability is driven by honesty and not performance, there is no hope for this country.

Well the only civilian govt who kept the military in check was Zulfiqar Bhutto, dont see a man like that appearing in the near future.

 

[Mamoon]

Well the only civilian govt who kept the military in check was Zulfiqar Bhutto, dont see a man like that appearing in the near future.

Which is why they eventually executed him.

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

Best of luck to the new health minister. The future of health in Pakistan depends upon his competence. Hope he does well.

 

[CleverSir]

I hope that during his tenure they can work towards making the Sehat Insaf Program a national level service similar to NHS. Anyway, best of luck to him.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Which is why they eventually executed him.

That wasn't the reason.

 

[Zhasan]

Which is why they eventually executed him.

Nah, he was executed for being a murderous thug, an autocrat who had his political opponents assassinated on a routine basis.

 

[Mamoon]

That wasn't the reason.

Nah, he was executed for being a murderous thug, an autocrat who had his political opponents assassinated on a routine basis.

None of the allegations were proven, it was a farcical trial. After Gen. Zia took over, he had to get rid of Bhutto to ensure his survival. His trial and execution is perhaps the most significant example of military supremacy in Pakistan.

There is also a theory that Gen. Zia was working on CIA’s orders because Bhutto was not willing to play their dirty game against the Soviets. A possibility that cannot be discounted entirely, in fact, it has been validated by a few U.S. historians as well.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Due to ongoing negative discussion about the role of SAPMs & criticism on the gov, I choose to resign. Pakistani people deserve a better health care. I have worked sincerely to contribute to this cause. &#55356;&#56821;&#55356;&#56816; will Inshallah emerge out of COVID-19 with a stronger hlth care system.</p>— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) <a href="https://twitter.com/zfrmrza/status/1288425632465137664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Abdullah719]

One week ago, Amir Liaquat tendered his resignation to IK but was rejected because he is an "asset."

Are Tania Aidrus and Zafar Mirza's resignations going to be accepted?

 

[Bewal Express]

One week ago, Amir Liaquat tendered his resignation to IK but was rejected because he is an "asset."

Are Tania Aidrus and Zafar Mirza's resignations going to be accepted?

I hope not, they are needed by PK. We need intelligent Professionals to help PK develop. Otherwise you are back to the mafia.

 

[the Great Khan]

this is ridiculous. I hope their resignations are rejected. These guys were doing a great job. We will now be left with the chaff. IK needs to keep the competent members of his team together and not bow down to patwari pressure.

 

[Syed1]

One week ago, Amir Liaquat tendered his resignation to IK but was rejected because he is an "asset."

Are Tania Aidrus and Zafar Mirza's resignations going to be accepted?

Accepted already.... Congratulations paindu jahils won. No place for professionals in Pakistan.

 

[saeedhk]

This is horrible!!

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><353> This Eid should make us think about the philosophy of sacrifice. We should sacrifice our narrow personal interests, inflated egos & biases for the greater public good. When most people make such sacrifices we emerge as a stronger, responsible & caring society. Eid Mubarak. <a href="https://t.co/ywgoux4HYZ">pic.twitter.com/ywgoux4HYZ</a></p>— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) <a href="https://twitter.com/zfrmrza/status/1289460981425266688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>