LAHORE: After Murad Saeed in the federal government, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht seems to be another blue-eyed of Prime Minister Imran Khan, as observed by Pakistan Today during the premier’s address at the 100 days performance ceremony of the provincial government.
During his speech, PM Khan mentioned only four people; Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, Federal Minister Murad Saeed and Hashim Jawan Bakht.
Bakht’s digital presentation that left the premier extremely impressed for accenting his vision, and wherein the minister shared stats of Rs1,140 billion spent by previous government as well as the strategies devised by his ministry to overcome financial challenges, also led to the PM repeatedly mentioning him in his address.
With PM Khan going all praise for Bakht, addressing him directly during his speech and assigning the provincial minister tasks such as that of cutting down expenses, ages-old political aides of the premier, including senior minister Aleem Khan, seemed to get rather edgy.
“This kind of behaviour of the PM will affect the performance of other ministers and his old companions who want to work hard and fulfill his vision,” sources in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said.
Minister for Management and Professional Development Sayed Hussain Jahania Gardezi, while talking to Pakistan Today said, “Hashim Jawan Bakht is a young and energetic boy who is well versed in financial management and knows what to do.”
He, Gardezi said, will always have the opportunity to excel because of his capabilities and knowledge.
“And his capabilities are what I think were the reason behind the premier mentioning him repeatedly in his address.”