Ali J. Siddiqui has been appointed as a special assistant to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi with immediate effect, according to a Cabinet Division notification issued Wednesday.

Siddiqui, chairman of JS Bank Ltd and JS Private Equity Management, is the son of Jahangir Siddiqui, a businessman and philanthropist.

Siddiqui, who was named in the Panama Papers leaks in 2016 enjoys the status of state minister under his new appointment, but is yet be assigned a portfolio, DawnNews reported.

He also holds a directorship at Airblue and the Mahvash and Jahangir Siddiqui Foundation, and has previously served as executive director at JS Investments Ltd and as director at Crosby. He holds a BA in Economics from Cornell University.

Opinion

Editorial

Quid pro quo
Updated 26 Jul, 2026

Quid pro quo

Accepting Israel would mean legitimising its violence against the Palestinians, as well as its neighbouring Arab states and Iran.
AI in government
26 Jul, 2026

AI in government

THE Prime Minister’s Office has announced the introduction of an AI-powered digital system and directed ministries...
Cautious optimism
26 Jul, 2026

Cautious optimism

THE latest polio surveillance figures offer some encouraging news regarding the difficult fight against polio. The...
Rampant lawlessness
Updated 25 Jul, 2026

Rampant lawlessness

THE brutal slaying of a judge and his guard in Mastung is the latest in a series of blood-drenched events that have...
Daily fuel pricing
25 Jul, 2026

Daily fuel pricing

THE government’s move to daily petroleum price adjustments should make fuel pricing more transparent and more...
The drug problem
25 Jul, 2026

The drug problem

WHILE Islamabad Police chase low-level peddlers, the capital’s kingpins have quietly taken their operations ...