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Bilal Bin Saqib left his Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) post on Blockchain and Crypto, but the available evidence does not establish that the government stripped his Minister of State status. Dawn reported that his SAPM resignation was accepted effective August 21, 2025. Later Pakistani government releases in 2026 continued to identify him as Minister of State and chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA).
What happened to Saqib’s SAPM position?
Pakistan’s Cabinet Division appointed Saqib as SAPM on Blockchain and Crypto with the status of Minister of State on May 26, 2025, effective immediately. The appointment notice establishes the role and the status attached to it at that time. Cabinet Division appointment notice
Dawn reported on December 2, 2025, that a Cabinet Division notification dated October 13 accepted Saqib’s resignation from the SAPM position with effect from August 21, 2025. That account supports describing his departure as a resignation accepted by the Prime Minister, not as a confirmed forced removal. The underlying October notification is not available here for independent inspection. Dawn report on the resignation
Was his Minister of State status stripped?
That claim is not established. TechJuice reported in December 2025 that Saqib’s name had disappeared from the Cabinet Division website’s list of state ministers and advisers. The outlet described his status as uncertain and noted conflicting accounts and the absence of a formal government statement at publication. A change to a website listing, on its own, does not establish a formal change in legal status. TechJuice report on the listing and status question
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Later official descriptions point the other way. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting called Saqib Minister of State and PVARA chairman in a May 4, 2026 release. A September 20, 2026 Press Information Department (PID) release used the same titles. These are evidence of how the government publicly described him in 2026, though they do not explain the legal mechanics of the 2025 changes. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting release · PID release of September 20, 2026
How the two roles differ
The SAPM appointment and the PVARA chairmanship are separate positions. Dawn reported that Saqib was appointed PVARA chairman on August 1, 2025, with Minister of State status, pro bono, for three years. The report said he continued as chairman after leaving the SAPM role. Dawn report on his roles
Accordingly, a resignation from the SAPM post does not by itself answer whether he retained Minister of State status in connection with the PVARA chairmanship. The available reports and later government releases distinguish neither the precise legal instrument nor the formal basis for that status.
Timeline
- May 26, 2025: Cabinet Division appoints Saqib SAPM on Blockchain and Crypto with Minister of State status, effective immediately. Appointment notice
- August 1, 2025: Dawn reports his appointment as PVARA chairman with Minister of State status for three years, pro bono. Dawn report
- August 21, 2025: Effective date of his SAPM resignation, according to Dawn’s account of the notification. Dawn report
- October 13, 2025: Date of the notification accepting the resignation, as reported by Dawn. Dawn report
- December 2025: TechJuice reports that his name was no longer on the Cabinet Division website’s relevant list and says his ministerial status was uncertain. TechJuice report
- May 4 and September 20, 2026: Government releases identify him as Minister of State and PVARA chairman. May release · September release
What can be said with confidence
- SAPM departure: Dawn reported an accepted resignation effective August 21, 2025.
- Minister of State status: A reported website-listing change raised questions but does not confirm that the status was formally removed. Government releases in 2026 continued to use the title.
- PVARA role: Dawn reported his separate chairmanship, and PID described him as PVARA chairman in a September 1, 2026 release. PID release of September 1, 2026
In the September 20, 2026 release, PID identified Saqib as Minister of State and PVARA chairman and attributed to him the statement: “Pakistan is developing a modern and robust regulatory framework for the digital assets sector.” This is his statement as presented in a government release, not an independent assessment of the framework. PID release
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