Asim Bajwa quits as SAPM after PM accepts resignation

Authority. Bajwa had submitted his resignation from the post of special assistant to the premier last month, in the wake of allegations levelled regarding his family's assets.

However, the premier had refused to accept his resignation at the time. The official PTI Twitter account had quoted the premier as saying that he was satisfied with the evidence provided by Bajwa about his family's assets. He had also directed him to continue working as the SAPM on information and broadcasting.

In August, journalist Ahmed Noorani broke the news on a website alleging that Bajwa had used his offices in setting up off-shore businesses of his wife, sons and brothers. After almost a week of silence, Bajwa issued a statement, saying he possessed all the documents about his family's assets and was ready to present them and the money trail before any judicial forum.

Following the publication of the report, opposition parties had called for Bajwa to face the allegations against him. PML-N vicepresident Maryam Nawaz had said that the evidence against Bajwa was "huge" and called for him to clarify his position in front of the nation. "If you have been appointed to a government post on taxpayers' money and allegations are made against you and evidence is presented, you should face them," she said.

The Pakistan Democratic Movement an alliance of opposition parties passed a resolution in September, saying that claims made in the news report regarding Bajwa's assets and family business should be probed. The forum said that he should be removed as the chairman of CPEC Authority until the investigation is completed. According to the news report, Bajwa's younger brothers opened their first Papa John's pizza restaurant in 2002, the year he started working as a lieutenant colonel on General Pervez Musharraf's staff.

Retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa on Monday announced he was stepping down as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting - more than a month after he submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan. "I requested the honourable prime minister to relinquish me from the additional portfolio of SAPM on Info & broadcasting. He very kindly approved my request," he tweeted.

He will continue to work as chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

ISLAMABAD