ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar has been asked by Prime Minister Imran Khan to step down from his role as recommendations by a committee probing the petrol crisis are put into effect.
The decision was announced by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar in a press conference on Friday to discuss findings by the Federal Investigation Agency in a probe ordered by the premier to ascertain the reasons behind petroleum shortages in the country.
“Secretary for Petroleum Division (Mian Asad Hayauddin) will also be asked to report to the Establishment Division once his replacement is finalised,” Umar added.
Umar warned against speculation and clarified that the decision in no way means that the two individuals have been found to have engaged in any wrongdoing.
“The prime minister has decided that the entire chain (responsible for the crisis) has to be investigated […] this decision was made so that no doubt remains of any one person’s possible involvement,” the minister said.
Umar, in his detailed media briefing also went over the final recommendations made by the cabinet committee probing the matter.
The committee is comprised of Umar himself, along with federal ministers Shafqat Mehmood, Azam Swati and Shireen Mazari.
“We forwarded our recommendations to the prime minister, after which he asked for some additional information. When some more information came to the fore, we were given the go ahead to share our recommendations,” said the minister.
He said these recommendations have been divided into three categories.
