Asad Umar to chair NA’s Standing Committee on Finance

Former finance minister Asad Umar has been appointed as the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance on Wednesday.

According to Dawn, the decision was put into motion after a meeting held at Parliament House of the parliamentary party of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders expressed concern over the appointment of technocrats and non-elected members on key-positions.

According to the rules, PTI will have to withdraw one of its members from the committee to accommodate Asad Umar and also sought resignation currently chaired Mr. Faizullah.

Prime Minister Imran Khan during the meeting stated that he would attend the session of the National Assembly (NA) at least once a week to answer questions by the opposition parties. Khan later attended the NA session and will attend it again on Monday.

The former finance minister Asad Umar speaking to Dawn stated that it was his choice to become the chairman of NA’s Standing Committee on Finance.

Umar further stated that he could not attend the parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday, but some party leaders have sought PM Khan to bring him back and give him some responsibility.

“In fact I asked the prime minister for the chairmanship of this committee because I have some expertise in financial matters which I want to utilise,” Mr Umar said, adding that he met the prime minister for a second consecutive day on Wednesday and thanked him [Mr Khan] for reposing confidence in him by deciding to appoint him chairman of the committee.