Prime Minister Imran Khan has suffered a setback after one of his close aides declined to become his special assistant, according to sources.
According to a notification issued earlier this week by the Cabinet Division, the prime minister had appointed Amir Jahangir as a special assistant on foreign investments.
It said that Jahangir’s term as the prime minister’s special assistant had begun on October 11.
Jahangir had been serving as a senior adviser to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman on foreign trade, investment and development.
He is also the head of the PTI’s chapters for Britain and Europe.
However, Jahangir has now expressed regret and announced that he would not be assisting the prime minister, owing to severe criticism from opposition parties and other people active on social media.
In a tweet, he said: “To work to attract foreign investments. I cannot permit any controversy and problems for my prime minister.
“Therefore, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from the assignment, though in my private capacity I will continue to bring foreign investments to Pakistan.”
“I am honoured as the prime minister trusted in me by appointing me as special adviser for foreign investments,” he added. 
“It is an honorary assignment. I decided not to [take] salary or benefits,” he stressed.
“However, fake allegations and media propaganda to malign my character and dignity could affect my performance,” Jahangir added.
Interestingly, a prominent educationist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Amir Jogezai, had also refused to accept the position of Baluchistan governor that was offered to him by Khan in August.
Similarly, adviser to the prime minister on parliamentary affairs, Babar Awan, had to step down from the post because the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against him over his alleged involvement in an inordinate delay in the construction of a key power plant.
Likewise, former inspector general of police Nasir Durrani, who was appointed as chief of a task force formed to suggest reforms in Punjab police, resigned last week amid media reports that he had developed differences with the PTI leadership.
Khan also had to ask a well-known economist, Atif Mian, to resign from membership of the Economic Advisory Council, following severe criticism over the fact that he belonged to a minority community.