ISLAMABAD: After Tania Aidrus, prime minister’s special assistance on Health, Dr Zafar Mirza, has also resigned from his official position.
Dr Zafar Mirza and Tania Adrus cited criticism from the public over induction of advisors and special assistants as a basic reason of their resignation from their positions.
A raging controversy over appointments of special assistants and advisors by prime minister, Imran Khan, started with declaration of assets by them some two weeks ago. The declaration of assets by the advisors and special assistants opened-up a new plethora of criticism on IK government. This created an impression in the public as if the advisors and special assistants’ appointments were something not in the larger interest of the country.
In his tweet, Dr Zafar Mirza said” I have resigned as SAPM. I came to Pakistan on a personal invitation of Imran Khan and left WHO. I worked hard and honestly as SAPM. It was a privilege to serve Pakistan and I am satisfied that I leave at a time when COVID 19 has declined in Pakistan”.
Earlier, special assistant to prime minister on Digital Pakistan,Tania Aidrus announced that she had resigned from her position in the greater public interest over her citizenship status.
Tania Aidrus has declared her Canadian and Singapore nationality in her assets submitted to the Cabinet Division like other special assistants and advisors. She like other colleagues also declared her properties in UK, US and Singapore as well as banks accounts.
“Criticism levied towards the state as a consequence of my citizenship status is clouding the purpose of Digital Pakistan” Tweeted Tania along with her resignation to the prime minister.
The issue of assets declaration had emerged publically when Sarwar Khan a federal cabinet opened up debate at a private channel and sought from the special assistants and advisors to declare assets so that public at large should know about their real identification. This was followed by a discussion in the federal cabinet and it led by a direction of the prime minister to all his special assistants and advisors to declare their assets. Since declaration of the assets, the special assistants and advisors are under severe public criticism.
The resignation of Tania Aidrus and Dr Zafar Mirza may force other unelected member of the federal cabinet to give up from their official position to add to political crisis for struggling IK government.
