Shahbaz Sharif names journalist Fahd Husain as special adviser

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has appointed journalist and political commentator Fahd Husain as his special assistant.

The notification for Husain’s appointment said: “The prime minister, in terms of rule 4(6) of Rules of Business, 1973, has been pleased to appoint Syed Fahd Husain as special assistant to the prime minister with the status of federal minister, with immediate effect.” The notification, issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, had no details about the newly appointed aide’s porfolio.

Husain has previously worked as Dawn’s resident editor in Islamabad and as a senior editor with the Express group, where he served as executive director news at Express TV and executive editor at The Express Tribune.. He has also writen for a number of publications.

He has also been the anchorperson of Dawnnewstv’s programme ‘In Focus.’

In another development, the prime minister has also appointed Muhammad Abubakar Umer as his focal person on digital media.

A notification confirmed Abubakar’s appointment, saying: “The prime minister has been pleased to appoint Muhammad Abubakar Umer as focal person digital media in the Prime Minister’s Office (Public), Islamabad on purely pro bono/ honourary basis with immediate effect until further orders.”

Sharing the news on Twiter, Umer said he was “honoured and humbled” to be notified as the focal person on digital media. “To ensure safe online spaces for people, especially women, children and minorities is going to be our top priority so that vulnerable people are protected against digital harassment and other pressures,” he said.

Umer added that his office would act as a bridge between the government and people to “promote honest discourse and discussion.”

Inanunrelateddevelopment,issuesandsolutions discussed during a high-level meeting between the Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) leaders, including party supremo Nawaz Sharif, in London over the last two days would be put before the Pakistan governments coalition partners before reaching a final decision, and the government would take the people into confidence over the next 48 hours, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said.