ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special assistants on health and Digital Pakistan announced resignations from their positions on Wednesday, citing criticism of the government over their role and nationality.
The premier accepted the resignations of Tania Aidrus and Dr. Zafar Mirza shortly after they were submitted to his office. Aidrus was advising the PM on Digital Pakistan, an initiative to promote innovation and technology through increased internet connectivity, and Mirza on public health.
The government was under pressure from the media and opposition parties for allowing non-elected members—five advisers and 14 special assistants—to participate in the cabinet meetings and involving them in policy- and decision-making processes in numerous areas, including national security and accountability.
The situation further exacerbated when these members released details of their assets and citizenship on the directive of the prime minister earlier this month since four of them were found to be dual nationals.
“I believe the recent discourse in the public sphere about my Canadian nationality, which is a consequence of my birth and not an acquisition of choice, is a distraction to my ability to execute on the long term vision for a Digital Pakistan,” Aidrus wrote in her resignation letter to the PM.
Criticism levied towards the state as a consequence of my citizenship status is clouding the purpose of Digital Pakistan. In the greater public interest, I have submitted my resignation from the SAPM role. I will continue to serve my country and the PM’s vision to my best ability pic.twitter.com/BWBvBvO6uz
— Tania Aidrus (@taidrus) July 29, 2020
Shortly after her resignation, Mirza also announced that he was stepping down, citing the “ongoing negative discussion about the role of SAPMs [Special Assistants to Prime Minister] and criticism on the government.”
He said that he had come to Pakistan on “a personal invitation” of the prime minister after leaving the World Health Organization (WHO). “I am satisfied that I leave at a time when COVID-19 has declined in Pakistan as a result of a grand national effort,” he said in a twitter post.
<352> I have resigned as SAPM. I came to on a personal invitation of @ImranKhanPTI leaving WHO. I worked hard & honestly. It was a privilege to serve Pakistan. I am satisfied that I leave at a time when COVID-19 has declined in as a result of a grand national effort.
— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) July 29, 2020
Mirza came under fire in March this year after coronavirus infections sharply increased in Pakistan due to the arrival of large number of pilgrims from Iran and lack of facilities to quarantine and test them at the Taftan border.
In April, the Supreme Court also raised questions over his performance while pointing out a large number of unelected members in the cabinet. “Advisers have been given status of the federal ministers but despite their larger number, there is no betterment in the federal government's performance when it comes to the pandemic,” Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed had remarked.
Political analysts view the resignations of the prime minister’s aides as part of an “evolving situation” as the elected members of the cabinet, along with members of the public, were raising questions over the performance and nationality of the non-elected members.
“These resignations will help the government deflect the criticism for some time, but the prime minister will have to focus on improving governance,” Adnan Rehmat, an Islamabad-based political analyst, told Arab News.
He said the resignations also showed an “admission” on part of the government that non-elected members should not be involved in policy making. “It is a prime minister’s prerogative to form his team, but this should obviously be done within the constitutional limits,” he added.