Tareen opens up about campaign against Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stalwart Jahangir Khan Tareen took to Twitter on Sunday to “vehemently” condemn a social media campaign against former finance minister Asad Umar.

“I vehemently condemn [PTI social media activist] Farhan Virk’s campaign against Asad Umar. Asad & I have struggled together against the status-quo for more than 8 years & I hold him in the highest regard,” he said.

The PTI leader said Umar continues to be part and parcel of the senior PTI leadership as they all value his role.

I vehemently condemn Farhan Virk’s campaign against Asad Umar. Asad & I have struggled together against the status-quo for more than 8 years & I hold him in the highest regard. Asad continues to be part and parcel of PTI senior leadership and we all value his role.

— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) April 21, 2019

Asad Umar stepped down in a cabinet shuffle on Thursday. The government named Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, a former World Bank official who served as finance minister from 2010-2013, as adviser on finance, replacing Umar.

Read Also: Will welcome Asad Umar back into cabinet if he returns: PM Khan

Umar, one of Khan’s most powerful ministers, had been entrusted with the task of negotiating the long-delayed bailout with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the country’s cash-strapped economy faces a balance-of-payments crisis.

“As part of a cabinet reshuffle, PM desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance,” Asad Umar had tweeted.