Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Senator Aon Abbas Buppi has been appointed as the special assistant to the prime minister on e-commerce, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Wednesday.

The notification, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, said Buppi's appointment "shall be in honourary capacity".

Buppi was elected as a senator in March this year and served as the managing director of the Pakistan Baitul Maal until then.

His appointment follows that of PTI's Muhammad Ayub Afridi as the adviser to the prime minister on overseas Pakistanis.

Afridi submitted his resignation as member of the upper house to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and vacated his seat on Tuesday.

In a video message from parliament after his resignation was accepted by the Senate chairman, Afridi said Prime Minister Imran Khan had previously expressed the wish for him to resign, which is why he took the step now.

Hours later, he was notified as the adviser to the prime minister on overseas Pakistanis.

According to media reports, the government is planning to get Shaukat Tarin, the premier's finance adviser, elected to Senate on the seat vacated by Afridi to ensure he can become the finance minister again.

These recent appointments have increased the number of members in the federal cabinet to 53. They now include 17 special assistants to the prime minister, five advisers, 27 federal ministers and four ministers of state.