China Welcomes Asad Umar's Appointment As Minister For Planning

China's ministry for Foreign Affairs Deputy Director (Information Director) Lijian Zhou congratulated Asad Umar over his new appointment as Planning Minister.

ISLAMABAD: (Urdu Point/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Nov 20th, 2019) China welcomed appointment of Asad Umar as Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, terming him as a man of "integrity".

China's Ministry of Foreign Affair Deputy Director (Inforamtion department) Lijian Zhao also congratulated Asad Umar and said that Pakistan badly needed a strategy of sustainable groth after stablization period.

Through his twitter account, Lijian Zhao wrote: "Congratulations on the new post to the man of integrity. Pakistan badly needs a strategy of sustainable growth after the stablization period,". He also tagged his message to Asad Umar.

Asad Umar, who was out from the Federal cabinet for last seven months, yesterday took oath as federal minister for planning, development and reforms. President Arif Alvi administered him oath. Asad Umar replaced Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiyar who was later given the portfolio of petroleum. The porfolio of petroleum was taken from Omar Ayub Khan.

Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Infor­mation Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan revealed the latest reshuffling in the cabinet. She had said Mr. Bakhtiyar was replaced by Mr. Umar as minister for planning and development while the former was given the petroleum portfolio.

On other hand, Omar Ayub Khan who was holding two ministries including petroleum and energy now would hold only energy ministry.

According to reliable sources, the reshuffle in federa caibnet was made after the chinese working on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor expressed concerns about working of key ministers related to communications, railways, planning and development.

"The chinese were reluctant to talk to these ministers for their failure to complete thier work on time," the sources privy to the developmend said.

Asad Umar who was removed from the ministry was offered the portfolio of petroleum but he declined and said that he would work for the party while staying out of the cabinet.

The sources also confirmed that the ministry of planning was taken back from Khusro Bakhtiyar on the basis of slow performance on CPEC while PM Khan had wished to bring Asad back to the cabinet and give him the porfolio of planning.

In October, Prime Minister Khan had indicated some changes in the federal cabinet when he was told that some ministers weere not working to address the grievances of the general public.

"The oath ceremony will be held soon after the notification regarding his inclusion in the federal cabinet was issued," said Asad Umar while talking to a newspaper. Asad Umar also said that it was his personal desire that he wanted to take this ministry.