ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari appointed on Sunday his close confidant Dr Asim Hussain as adviser to the prime minister on petroleum and natural resources, the position he had quit over a year ago.

Talking to Dawn, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Khan Babar said Dr Hussain would have the status of a federal minister. The appointment came only a day after Dr Hussain’s unopposed election to a Senate seat from Sindh.

According to PPP sources, the president appointed him an adviser because he is yet to take oath as senator.

Dr Hussain had resigned from the adviser’s position citing personal reasons following severe criticism from the opposition over his role and stayed away from politics. He had also served as chairman of the now-defunct National Reconstruction Bureau.

Dr Hussain, who owns the Dr Ziauddin Medical College and Hospital in Karachi, was elected senator on a seat which had fallen vacant after resignation of PPP’s Dr Khatumal Jeewan.

Dr Jeewan resigned from the upper house to become a member of the National Assembly on reserved seat for minorities after the assassination of federal minister for minorities’ affairs Shahbaz Bhatti. But he is facing a legal battle with his party colleague Michael Javed and the Election Commission has not issued any notification so far.