Pakistani Finance Minister Asad Umar speaks during a press conference in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on April 18, 2019. Pakistani Finance Minister Asad Umar announced at a press conference here on Thursday that he has decided to resign from the post on the advice of the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
ISLAMABAD, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Finance Minister Asad Umar announced at a press conference here on Thursday that he has decided to resign from the post on the advice of the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Umar said he is resigning after Imran Khan asked him to step down from the post and accepted the portfolio of energy minister as part of his move to reshuffle the cabinet.
"However, I have obtained the prime minister's consent to not take any cabinet position," Umar said, adding that it does not mean that he will not be available for the ruling party to serve the country.
Considered as a close aide of Imran Khan, Umar said that he strongly believes that Khan will lead the country to the right direction.
"I need to say that when we came in, the economy was in a dangerous and sorry state, we were standing near a ditch. The state of the economy is still not good. I think the new minister will also have to face the same issues," Umar said, who has been facing criticism due to a sharp surge in inflation in the country.
Local media quoted official sources as saying that the prime minister is considering to chose one of the famous economists to appoint as an adviser on finance. However, there is no official confirmation about the report yet.
According to local media, the prime minister will further reshuffle the federal cabinet based on ministers' efficiency during the last seven months of the government. The prime minister is likely to announce further changes in the cabinet by the Thursday evening, the reports added.
