PM Imran Khan praises Hammad Azhar as a 'rising star'

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has praised the Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar and referred to him as a “rising star”, saying he is one of those few ministers competent to speak about the economy, The News reported on Saturday.

Holding a discussion with a group of senior journalists at PM House, the premier admitted that his government had struggled with its communication strategy. 

He said: “Sometimes when our ministers speak [they inadvertently say things against their own government] apni he taraf gol kardaitay hain”.

He clarified that there were only four people in his government who were competent to speak about the economy and each of them was overburdened with work and unable to regularly appear in the media.

“Other than Hafeez Sheikh, Khusro Bakhtiar, Hammad Azhar, and Asad [Umar], we have no one. And Hammad is a rising star,” the prime minister maintained.

Read more: World Economic Forum names Hammad Azhar among Young Global Leaders from South Asia

Hammad Azhar – who is currently serving as Minister for Industries and Production – was elected from a National Assembly seat in Lahore on a PTI ticket in the last general election held in 2018. PM Imran had inducted him into his cabinet as a state minister soon after coming into power.

He was later elevated as full minister in July 2019.

Azhar, a key member of PTI's economic team, received his early education from Aitchison College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Development Economics from the SOAS, University of London, and completed his postgraduate diploma in law from the BPP Law School.

He also enjoys the distinction of presenting both the budgets of the PTI government.