Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar quits ahead of IMF deal

Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar abruptly quit the Cabinet on Thursday before securing a crucial multi-billion dollar IMF bailout package for the cash-strapped country, amid mounting criticism by the opposition and business community over the handling of the economic crisis.

Umar, who recently returned from a trip to the US in which the details of Pakistan's next International Monetary Fund bailout were finalised, said he has obtained Prime Minister Imran Khan's consent "to not take any cabinet position".

"As part of a cabinet reshuffle, prime minister desired that I take the energy minister portfolio instead of finance," said Umar, one of the close aides of the prime minister. "However, I have obtained his consent to not take any cabinet position."
Responding to a question, the finance minister defended his performance and said "Who says that I have failed in achieving what I wanted to achieve?"