PM Shehbaz’s IQ Is Close to Newton’s, Says Huzaifa Rehman

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Huzaifa Rehman has compared Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s intelligence to that of scientist Isaac Newton.

“I often tell the prime minister that his IQ is close to Newton’s,” Rehman said, according to ARY News. He joked that he expects to stay in the cabinet because his own IQ is almost as close to the prime minister’s.

PM Would Remove Most Ministers

Rehman said Shehbaz Sharif works from 6 am to 10 pm and holds a federal cabinet meeting every week.

He said the prime minister does not tolerate corruption or incompetence and keeps such people away from him. A minister whose performance is not satisfactory cannot expect to stay in his close circle, he added.

Rehman claimed that if it were up to the prime minister, he would remove 52 or 53 of the 55 ministers in the cabinet.

Response to Qaiser Sheikh

Rehman made the remarks while responding to complaints from Qaiser Sheikh, who has said in media interviews that the prime minister does not give him time for a meeting. Last month, the PM removed Sheikh as chairman of a cabinet committee.

Rehman said any federal or provincial cabinet member with an issue should raise it at the cabinet forum. He called Sheikh a senior figure and remarked that people above 70 often have such grievances, also pointing to the age of PTI founder Imran Khan.

Salik Hussain and Maryam Nawaz

On criticism from federal minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Rehman said Salik belongs to an allied party, and it is natural for coalition partners to raise reservations. He described Salik as an honest person facing no corruption allegations.

He also praised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying she has ensured that appointments in the province are made strictly on merit.