ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Media Affairs Yousuf Baig Mirza resigned from his post on Wednesday.

Speaking to Dawn, Mr Mirza said he had served the prime minister with full commitment and dedication, but now he wanted to resume working in the media industry.

Prior to his appointment as SAPM over a year ago, Mr Mirza had served as managing director of the state-run PTV and other private TV channels.

After Mr Mirza’s resignation and transfer of Iftikhar Durrani from the PM Office to tribal districts secretariat as its media coordinator, the prime minister now has two official spokespersons — Firdous Ashiq Awan and Nadeem Afzal Chan.

Meanwhile, newly appointed federal Minister for Food Security Khusro Bakhtiyar called on the prime minister amid media reports that he was ‘unhappy’ with the change.

A source close to Mr Bakhtiyar said he had no reservations over the new assignment from the planning ministry to food security and would perform his duties with dedication.

The source said PM’s spokesman Nadeem Afzal Chan and PTI leader Fakhar Imam met Mr Bakhtiyar a couple of days ago and conveyed the prime minister’s message on reviving the dilapidated agriculture sector.

Mr Bakhtiyar said he had no objection to the appointment of Asad Umar as planning and development minister and that being an experienced and senior PTI leader he [Mr Umar] would perform better.

According to an official press release, the prime minister praised Mr Bakhtiyar for serving as minister for planning and initiating a new phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by launching new projects under the corridor.

Prime Minister Khan said during the meeting that Mr Bakhtiyar had been given a new assignment keeping in view the importance of agriculture in the country’s economy and to expedite the process of progress in the agriculture sector. “Progress in all departments of agriculture is a top most priority of the government,” he added.

The prime minister said the government was trying to benefit from China’s experience in the agriculture sector under the CPEC to introduce latest technology for the farmers and adopt new ways to get maximum yield. He expressed the hope that Mr Bakhtiyar would utilise his experience and energies for progress in the agriculture sector.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2019