Current Final

Tag: Finance Minister

  • Foreign experts to arrive in Pakistan to revive PIA

    A delegation of foreign experts will arrive in Pakistan on Monday (today) to devise a five-year corporate business plan for cash-strapped Pakistan International Airline (PIA).

    According to reports, the four-member team is arriving in Pakistan on the invitation of Dr Ishat Hussain, advisor to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on institutional reforms. They will stay in the country for 12 days to develop the plan for the national carrier.

    The team will review the business model and also meet government officials at the finance ministry as well as the airline’s chief executive officer (CEO), Air Marshal Arshad Malik.

    They will devise a business plan for the airline to make it profitable and sustainable. “We will be following the government’s directives on restructuring and reforms in the airline,” reports quoted them as saying.

    It is pertinent to note that Dr Hussain is supervising the reforms in PIA. Back in November 2019, the airline had sought the services of a reputed international firm with extensive aviation consulting experience to prepare a five-year corporate business plan through a tender.

    The objective was to revive PIA as a leading international airline, and enable it to play an important role in the country’s struggling economy.

  • Govt officials ditch Asad Umar at NA finance body meeting

    Govt officials ditch Asad Umar at NA finance body meeting

    Government officials have ditched former finance minister Asad Umar at a session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, a private media outlet reported.

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA was appointed chairman of the NA finance body after he was sacked by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as the country’s finance minister earlier this year.

    According to reports, Umar on Thursday expressed displeasure over the absence of government officials during a meeting of the parliamentary committee convened by him.

    The committee, in protest, has postponed its approval for the passage of government bills, including the Foreign Exchange Regulation Amendment Bill 2019, Anti-Money Laundering Amendment Bill 2019 and Asset Declaration Ordinance 2019.

    “We are postponing the passage of all government bills,” Umar was quoted as saying. “If the government is not serious about these bills, then they should at least take us [committee members] seriously,” he said.

  • Fact Check: Asad Umar was NOT removed from his position as the Finance Minister

    Fact Check: Asad Umar was NOT removed from his position as the Finance Minister

    Claim: ARY News ran the headline that Asad Umar was removed from his position as Finance Minister

    Fact: Severl PTI polticians clarified on Twitter that Asad Umar is still the Finance Minister

    Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has made major shuffles within its cabinet, removing at least five cabinet members, including Finance Minister Asad Umar, media reports claimed Monday.

    Among other ministers were interior and petroleum ministers, reports said.

    While it was claimed that Umar will be handed over the portfolio of the petroleum minister instead, amid all the confusion, The Current went the extra mile for verification of the claims.

    “No such decision to change ministries or the ministers’ portfolios has been taken,”
    PTI Public Relations head said.

    Not later, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also stepped up to refute the claims.

    “No truth to reports claiming change in the portfolios of ministers,” he tweeted, adding that “media should act responsibly”. The info minister further said that spreading such rumours wasn’t in better interests of the country.

    Verdict: FALSE