As per a notice from the Prime Minister’s Office, the appointment of SAPM Mohammad Tahir Javed has been revoked. Initially, the appointment notification for Tahir Javed as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Investment was issued on October 6. However, it was later rescinded due to pressure from a group of American Pakistanis, according to insider sources.
Sources within the PM House revealed that PM Kakar took action following reports in US and Pakistani media, uncovering Tahir Javed’s undisclosed prior conviction for theft. It was further alleged that Javed, initially a fervent supporter of Imran Khan, had subsequently turned against him after providing financial support.
Following the Prime Minister’s approval, the Establishment Division in Islamabad retracted the notification for Tahir Javed’s appointment as Special Assistant. It was noted that despite his previous support for Imran Khan and the PTI, Tahir Javed, a 57-year-old Pakistani-American, was granted privileges akin to those of a state minister upon his appointment.
Javed’s journey to the United States from Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan, with only $500, saw him emerge as a successful entrepreneur. According to his interviews, Javed undertook various jobs, including repair work and senatorial duties, upon his arrival in the US.
Records from a Texas court indicated that Tahir Javed had been sentenced to five years of deferred probation beginning in January 1992 for a theft felony dating back to September 1990. Despite a minimum sentence of one year for a felony, he served only half of his five-year sentence. After completing his sentence in 1994, Javed focused on business ventures, eventually establishing several successful companies with the assistance of his brother.
In July 2017, Javed faced warnings of potential criminal prosecution, confiscation, or injunction from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over his online business, Royal Smoke LLC, which sold tobacco products. The FDA’s warning was primarily related to the sale of products to individuals under 18 years of age and misbranded labeling.
Presenting himself as a Pakistani-American entrepreneur, investor, business tycoon, and philanthropist on social media, Tahir Javed had previously campaigned for Imran Khan and the PTI. However, he recently emerged as a vocal critic of the Prime Minister, denouncing him as a failure without a substantial plan or vision.
Notably, in 2018, Javed contested in the US Primary Elections to represent Texas District 29 in Congress, vying to replace long-serving Democrat Gene Green, but was unsuccessful in his bid.