PM Kakar removes SAPM Tahir Javed within days after appointment

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has removed Texas-based Pakistani-American businessman Muhammad Tahir Javed from the post of Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM).

According to a notification issued by the PM Office, the appointment notification of the SAPM has been taken back.

The notification to appoint Javed as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Investment was issued on October 6 but the decision was taken to remove him after lobbying by a group of American-Pakistanis, according to sources.

The Establishment Division — after the approval of the prime minister — has withdrawn the notification for the appointment of Javed as the special assistant.

Soon after his appointment, it was reported that the Pakistani-American businessman had been given the same perks and privileges as the minister of state despite the fact that he had donated money to and campaigned for Imran Khan and the PTI in the United States while he was prime minister.

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

Javed campaigned for Imran and the PTI while the party was in power but he became a fierce critic of Imran 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 and campaigned for him, especially during Imran’s visit to the USA in November 2019 but it turned out that Imran was not trustworthy.

He has said that Imran’s visit to the US was a waste because it didn’t materialise into any success or benefits for Pakistan because Imran had no substance, no plan, and no vision.

But when Imran was in power, Javed publicly complimented Imran for his “successful” US visit and for highlighting important issues. In November 2019, Imran especially paid tribute to Javed for his services, saying “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”.

Javed has boasted that he personally arranged Imran's meetings with over 63 US Senators during his visit.

PTI has said that Javed managed only three Senators while the remaining were brought by the efforts of the embassy and the then-government.

Javed, 57, moved to the US from Toba Tek Singh in Pakistan with just $500 and became a successful businessman. According to his interviews, Javed did senatorial duties and worked as a repairman, besides other jobs after initially moving to the US.

According to court records of Texas, Javed was sentenced to serve five years of deferred probation beginning in January 1992 for felony theft dating back to September 1990.

He was sentenced to five years but served only half of that term. Authorities in Texas had prosecuted him for theft and a minimum sentence for felony starts from a year.

After needing his theft sentence in 1994, Javed focussed on business and with help from his brother he progressed and went on to set up several companies.

In 2018, Javed stood in US Primary Elections to represent Texas District 29 in Congress. His campaign manifesto stated that he “understands the problems facing the district and the country, and the experience and desire to get things done”.

He had sought to replace Democrat Gene Green, who had served as the Texas District 29 Rep since the district was created in 1993. He lost the election to the veteran Democrat candidate.

Texas Jefferson County’s District Criminal Court data records Javed’s felony theft as Cause: 56447; offence date: 25 September 1990, Beaumont Tx; filing date: 5 November 1990; offence description, theft by receiving; probation amount: 5; and description: P/G Judge; and Deferred Completed: 28th of March 1994.”