Pakistani premier reshuffles Cabinet

KARACHI, Pakistan

Eight months after forming his government, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a major Cabinet reshuffle Thursday with the introduction of several new ministers and changes to posts, according to an official statement.

Former Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who otherwise has no affiliation with Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has been appointed adviser on finance.

Shaikh who previously served in that post in the Cabinet of former ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf, will take the post following the resignation of Khan's close aide Asad Umar earlier Thursday.

Former spy master, Ret. Brigadier Ijaz Shah, has been appointed interior minister -- a position occupied by Khan since September 2018. Shah was previously minister of parliamentary affairs.

Flamboyant Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry was moved to science and technology. He was replaced by another member of Musharraf's former Cabinet, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, who was special adviser to the prime minister for information and broadcasting.

Former Chairman Senate Mohammad Mian Soomro has been appointed as Minister for Privatization.

Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan was also replaced and assigned to aviation.

A bizarre inclusion is Senator Azam Swati, who earlier this year was forced to resign by the Supreme Court and the prime minister for his alleged involvement in torture of a refugee family in Islamabad in a petty dispute.

Swati has been appointed minister of parliamentary affairs.

Health Minister Aamir Mahmood Kiani, who is under severe criticism for hefty increases in medicine prices, has been removed from the Cabinet. He has been replaced by Dr. Zafarullah Mirza, who was appointed special adviser to prime minister for National Health Services.

*Islamuddin Sajid contributed to this story from Islamabad