'Personal reasons': Ayaz Sadiq resigns as economic affairs minister

• Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique also resigns from his position.
• Party members say Sadiq and Rafique have resigned to run party campaign for by-polls.
• PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tells PM Shehbaz to also resign and run campaign.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister Ayaz Sadiq on Saturday tendered his resignation from his position as Minister for Economic Affairs.

The minister confirmed the news, adding that the decision was taken due to “personal reasons.”

“Due to my personal reasons, I am unable to continue holding the office,” the minister wrote in the resignation sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“I would continue to work for the country and the party with the best of my abilities,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique also resigned from his position due to “personal reasons”. It was learnt that Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz has accepted his resignation.

CM Hamza has sent the approval of his resignation to governor Punjab.

Rafique said that being the provincial minister he wasn’t able to participate in the by-election campaign; however, now he plans to run the campaign with full enthusiasm as the party aims to win all 20 seats.

Confirming the news, Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the two ministers have resigned because elections are being held in their constituencies; however, they will be reappointed in their positions after the elections.

'PM Shehbaz should also resign'

Following the news, former information minister and senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said PM Shehbaz should also resign and run the campaign; however, PTI will win no matter what.

“#importedhukumatnamanzoor has become such a big campaign on which the masses have belief,” he wrote on Twitter, adding that PM Shehbaz’s entire cabinet would have to resign in the next few weeks.