RAWALPINDI: Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday assumed charge as Minister for Defence and Defence Production.

The Defence Minister was received by Secretary of Defence, Lieutenant General (R) Hamood uz Zaman Khan, at the Ministry of Defence here, a news release said.

An introductory meeting was conducted with senior Officers. The minister was briefed about the role and functions of Ministries and their executive departments including major ongoing activities.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Defence said that the government would provide maximum support to cater to the needs of the Armed Forces. Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz Sharif constituted a committee to submit a plan to slash government expenditures.

The deputy Chairman Planning Commission will chair the seven-member committee, comprised of the Secretary Cabinet, Finance Division, Secretary I and P Rashid Mehmood Langarial, Dr. Qaisar Bangali, Dr Farrukh Saleem, and Dr Muhammad Naveed Iftikhar.

The committee will formulate Terms of Reference (ToRs) for slashing government expenses. It will submit its report to the Prime Minister within one week.