Asad Umar just resigned from the cabinet and we did not see that coming.
Rumors of Asad Umar being sacked or replaced were rife just a few days ago.
According to Pakistan Today, Asad Umar and the Ministers for Interior and Petroleum were on ‘thin ice’ and Imran Khan was looking to make changes. However, these rumors were denied by the government with Fawad Chaudhry even tweeting a denial.
حکومتی وزراء کے قلمدان تبدیل کئے جانے کے حوالے سے خبروں میں کوئ صداقت نہیں، وزراء کی تبدیلی وزیر اعظم کا صوابدیدی اختیار ہے میڈیا اس ضمن میں ذمہ داری کا مظاہرہ کرے۔ اس وقت پاکستان اہم مرحلے سے گزر رہا ہے اور اس نوعیت کی قیاس آرائیوں سے ہیجان جنم لیتا ہے، جو ملک کے مفاد میں نہیں
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 15, 2019
Earlier today Asad Umar just announced his resignation
In his tweet, he mentions that he was being offered another position in the cabinet, as the Minister for Energy but he denied it and obtained Imran Khan’s consent to not accept any position in the cabinet. Which basically translates to; Asad Umar resigned!
As part of a cabinet reshuffle PM desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance. However, I have obtained his consent to not take any cabinet position. I strongly believe @ImranKhanPTI is the best hope for Pakistan and inshallah will make a naya pakistan
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) April 18, 2019
He quickly shot up to becoming the number one trend on Twitter in Pakistan

And people don’t seem too thrilled with this decision.
#asadumar sad day for those who still hoped things will change.
— bsaeed (@lexicom456) April 18, 2019
Corrupt Mafia , powerful lobby in #PTI ,paid media and it's propaganda won, #AsadUmar lost.
Bad decision by Asad Umar. https://t.co/KdUvhHCihm
— Sumaira Jamil (@its_sumaira) April 18, 2019
Com on Mr PM @ImranKhanPTI you can't do that!
Need U-turn on this decision #AsadUmar was with you in thin and thik, and most competent personal.
Better than this #Buzdar Dummy
— سعیدابوشمشیر (@_SaeedGr) April 18, 2019
Not a good decision! GOD bless Tabdeeli. https://t.co/jBxY3wvfnz
— Haris Khan (@haarriisssssss) April 18, 2019
A lot of people are wondering who the next finance minister will be
Names like Salman Shah, Shaukat Tareen and Hafiz Pasha are being speculated about as the next appointees.
Who is going to be the next finance minister?
— Aqse Zahra (@Aqseyy) April 18, 2019
For a country that has the likes of LUMS and IBA churning out finance geniuses, why do we suck at finding said geniuses to run the finance ministry?
— Tony Khan (@marketingdude) April 18, 2019
People seem to be really surprised by this sudden decision, so much so that almost all the trends on Twitter are related to Asad Umar and the finance ministry in some way. Even Engro, of which Asad Umar was the CEO was trending.
People were trying to make the connection of how his resignation at Engro is similar to his resignation as the finance minister.
Ur resignation was similar to the one when at Engro…. u can however consider a role of PR for the party… talk but dont have to do anything else… would work well for everyone
— Adz Pardesy (@adzpardesy) April 18, 2019
Afshan he was forced to resign from engro as well
— Saad G. Sheikh (@SaadGulzarSh) April 18, 2019
While others made an entirely different connection, claiming that Asad Umar ruined both Pakistan and Engro and when the going was getting tough, ended up resigning from both positions.
Engro ke bad Pakistan ka bhi bera gharak kar ke Aristotle Asad Umer sahab resign kar gaye excellent!
Humein purana Pakistan chahiye plz.— humaimam2 (@Humaimam34Zoha) April 18, 2019
Usually capable people become CEO of companies. But Asad sahib seems like a failure. Ruined Engro first now failed to deliver as a minister too.
— Obaid Athar (@GhareebInsan) April 18, 2019
Whatever the case may be, his resignation still comes as a shock for a lot of people. And raised the question of who will be replacing him.
What do you think about Asad Umar’s resignation? Let us know in the comments below.
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Cover Image Source: samaa.tv