Imran’s ex-aide joins PM Kakar’s cabinet, to look after investment portfolio

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has appointed a former donor and aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan as his Special Assistant on Investment.

Texan-Pakistani businessman Muhammad Tahir Javed has been given the investment portfolio and has joined the cabinet with immediate effect, according to a notification by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The PM has approved the same perks and privileges as the minister of state for Muhammad Tahir Javed, who has donated money to and campaigned for Imran Khan and the PTI in the United States when he was the prime minister.

Tahir Javed owns US-based multi-million dollar health company Riceland Healthcare.

Tahir Javed describes himself as a Pakistani American entrepreneur, investor, business magnate and philanthropist on his social media profiles.

Tahir Javed campaigned for Imran Khan and the PTI while the party was in power but he has become a fierce critic of Imran Khan in recent months, calling Imran a failure as PM, whose only claim to fame is his celebrity status as a cricketer.

He said in a recent interview that he did his best for Imran Khan and campaigned for him, especially during Khan’s visit to the USA in November 2019 but it turned out that Imran Khan was not trustworthy. He has said that Imran Khan’s visit to the US was a waste because it didn’t materialise into any success or benefits for Pakistan.

But when Imran Khan was in power, Tahir Javed publicly complimented Imran Khan for his “successful” USA visit and for highlighting important issues close to Pakistan’s objectives.

In November 2019, Imran Khan especially paid tribute to Tahir Javed for his services, saying “Mr Tahir Javed has been instrumental in setting up a Pakistan Congress Foundation that has played a key role in revival and activation of Congressional Pakistan Caucus at the 116th Congress.”

Tahir Javed has boasted that he personally arranged Imran Khan’s meetings with over 60 US senators during his visit. In the pictures released, Tahir Javed was seen standing next to Imran Khan during these meetings in the USA and the two also met at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington at the conclusion of the visit.

Tahir Javed met Imran Khan in Islamabad and said: “Had the immense pleasure to meet up with Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. Congratulated him for giving the rights to overseas Pakistanis to exercise their vote in the future ballot exercises & commended him on his speech at the UN general assembly on Islamophobia.”

After Imran Khan was removed in a vote of confidence, Tahir Javed turned against Imran Khan and said that President Joe Biden didn’t speak to him despite the best efforts of Khan because he didn’t trust him and didn’t like several statements he issued on international matters.

Considered close to Hilary Clinton and several Democratic Party leaders, Tahir Javed has said that Imran Khan’s public support for Taliban annoyed the US govt beyond any limits. He has said that Imran Khan should not have conducted the foreign policy matters in the manner he did.

Tahir Javed, who has claimed that he is close to the Joe Biden administration, has vowed that he will bring investment to Pakistan from overseas in his new role and has offered full support to the interim administration. He has said that Pakistan’s problems are of short-term nature and will be overcome soon.