Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan resigns as CM Punjab’s special assistant

Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has resigned from her post.

Azhar Mashwani, Punjab's chief minister's focal person for digital media, confirmed the development.

"SACM info has resigned from her post," Azhar said in a Twitter post.

“It is hereby submitted that due to certain unavoidable personal grounds I am unable to continue with my present assignment in the government of Punjab," Dr Awan's resignation letter, shared by Mashwani, reads.

“I am delighted to have served the interests of the government as well as my party, in Punjab and feel honored to have worked with esteemed cabinet members of Punjab, from whom I was able to learn a lot in a wide range of work settlings,” it reads.

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has accepted her resignation. "Chief Minister has been pleased to accept the enclosed resignation tendered by Ms. Firdous Ashiq Awan from the office of Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information. Further, necessary action may be taken accordingly," a notification from the chief minister’s office said.

Earlier this month, Awan had submitted resignation to leave her office to run the party’s by-election campaign in Sialkot.

However, Awan later announced that she had withdrawn the resignation letter on the direction of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“The premier has stopped me from resigning from my office and asked me to continue work to highlight the achievements of the Punjab government,” she told a news conference.

In November last year, Dr Awan was appointed as the special assistant to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. 

Previously, she also served as Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Special Assistant on Information.