PM sacks Hamid Kazmi, Azam Swati as ministers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has sacked Hamid Saeed Kazmi and Azam Swati from their portfolios following a dispute involving hajj scandal and a tirade between the two ministers, Geo News reported Tuesday.

Also, Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs Agha Sarwar Raza Qazalbash has also been removed from his office. It has been learnt that the portfolios of certain federal ministers have also been shuffled.

According to the spokesman of the PM House, Khurshid Shah and Sardar Asseff Ahmed Ali were given the charge of ministry of Religious Affairs and ministry of Information Technology respectively.

Sardar Asseff Ahmed Ali will have additional charge of Ministry of Education and Khurshid Shah will have addition charge of Ministry of Labour and Manpower.

Also the Prime Minister has appointed Makhdoom Shahbuddin as Minister for Defence Production, who will continue to hold his portfolio of the Health Ministry.

Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs Agha Sarwar Raza Qazalbash has been directed to report to the Establishment Division, while Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Division Saeed Khan has been appointed Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs.

It should be mentioned here that Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati leveled allegations regarding serious corruption against Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi in alleged corruption in hajj arrangements.

It is pertinent to mention here that there are no allegations of corruption against Azam Swati; however, he was sacked from his ministry for overlooking the directives from the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who directed the two to avoid giving statemnets.