PM Imran appoints Shibli Faraz information minister, Lt Gen (retd) Asim Bajwa replaces Dr Firdous

ISLAMABAD:  Chairman CPEC Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa has been appointed as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting in place of Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, while Senator Shibli Faraz has been appointed as the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting .

The changes were announced on Monday, with science and technology minister Fawad Chaudhry taking to Twitter to congratulate the two. 

Faraz is serving as the Leader of the House in the Senate while Lt Gen (retd) Asim Bajwa has served formerly as the DG ISPR.

It remains unclear why the government chose to bring about the changes to the information ministry. 

Following the decision Dr Awan said: "I'm thankful to the prime minister for trusting me," adding that she tried to fulfill her responsibilities to the best of her abilities.

"The prime minister has the right to decide which player of the team should play on what batting order or which field position," she added. "I respect the prime minister's decision."

The former special assistant strongly refuted the "baseless allegations in propaganda in various reports on the media" following the decision. She said: "As a political activist, my mission is the country's growth and its people's welfare, which will continue under the prime minister's leadership.

"I wish a hearty congratulations to Shibli Faraz and Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa," she noted.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had appointed Dr Firdous as special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting in April 2019. She had replaced Fawad Chaudhry, who is currently the minister for science and technology.