PM Kakar appoints PTI's former aide as special assistant on investment

• Texan-Pakistani businessman joined cabinet immediately.
• Former aide turned into fierce critic of Imran Khan.
• He vows to bring investment to Pakistan from overseas.

ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: A former aide and donor of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has been appointed as Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s special assistant on investment.

Muhammad Tahir Javed, a Texan-Pakistani businessman has been handed the investment portfolio and, with immediate effect, has joined the cabinet, according to a notification from the PM’s office.

He has also been granted the same benefits and privileges as the minister of state by PM Kakar.

He owns a US-based multi-million-dollar health company, Riceland Healthcare, and has previously donated money to and campaigned for Imran Khan and the PTI in the United States when the party was in power, The News reported.

Javed, who describes himself as a Pakistani-American business magnate and philanthropist on his social media, has now become a fierce critic of the former prime minister.

He has lambasted Khan, calling him a failure as PM and has expressed that his only claim to fame is his celebrity status as a cricketer.

In a recent interview, he criticised Khan for his untrustworthiness and unsuccessful visit to the US in November 2019, stating that the visit was a waste for Pakistan despite Javed’s best efforts to campaign for Khan.

However, when Khan was in office, Javed publicly complimented him for his successful visit and thanked him for highlighting important issues related to Pakistan's objectives.

In November 2019, Khan especially paid tribute to 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.”

PTI's former aide has previously boasted that he personally arranged meetings with over 60 US senators during his visit.

In the pictures released, Javed was seen standing next to the ex-prime minister during these meetings in the US and the two also met at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington at the conclusion of the visit.

He met Khan in Islamabad and posted a video regarding the meeting on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption: “Had the immense pleasure to meet up with Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan.

"Congratulated him for giving the rights to overseas Pakistanis to exercise their vote in future ballot exercises & commended him on his speech at the UN general assembly on Islamophobia.”

After Khan was removed in a vote of confidence, Javed turned against him and said that President Joe Biden didn’t speak to him despite Khan's best efforts 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, Javed has said that Khan’s public support for the Taliban annoyed the US govt beyond any limits.

He has said that Khan should not have conducted the foreign policy matters in the manner he did.

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 a short-term nature and will be overcome soon.