Dar justifies his appointment as youth plan head

LAHORE: The newly-appointed chairman of Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Usman Dar, justifying his appointment, said on Friday he was working as the head of the programme purely on an honorary basis and drawing no salary.

Usman Dar was contacted by The News after his appointment came under severe criticism from PML-N whose MPA Hina Pervaiz Butt, through a resolution submitted in Punjab Assembly, said the decision of appointing Usman on the post was clear violation of merit. The PML-N MPA in the resolution said that the appointment of Usman Dar was unacceptable as he had suffered a massive defeat in the general elections. “When Nawaz Sharif appointed Maryam Nawaz to this post, the decision was opposed, therefore, the House demands immediate withdrawal of Usman Dar’s notification”, the MPA said in the resolution.

Through his counsel Sheraz Zaka. At that time, the court had directed that the appointment should be made after proper advertisement and considering the qualifications and experience of the candidate. When contacted, Usman Dar told The News that neither his case had any relevance with that of Maryam Nawaz as he was not a relative of the sitting PM and his appointment to the post was on purely ‘honorary basis.’ “I am neither drawing any salary, nor getting any perk or privilege, rather I am bearing my expenditures myself”, said Usman Dar.

He added that his role was to serve as a coordinator to the prime minister and facilitate the youth of the country. Regarding the allegation of fake degree leveled in the resolution by the PML-N MPA, Usman Dar stated that petition was filed against him during the election in this regard in the office of returning officer and the Election Tribunal had rejected it.