Hammad Azhar led ECC meeting to mull over sugar, cotton import from India

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance Hammad Azhar will head the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting on Wednesday (tomorrow), where summaries for approving the import of sugar and cotton from India will be tabled, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources having knowledge of the ECC meeting’s agenda, the meeting headed by Hammad Azhar would mull over a 21-points.

“Summaries regarding import of cotton and sugar from India will be tabled in the meeting for approval,” they said adding that a summary for registration of Geographical Indications (GI) for pink salt would also be tabled in the meeting.

The ECC will also mull over strategic trade policy framework 2020-25, they said.

The committee headed by Hammad Azhar will also approve an Rs2 billion grant for the low-cost housing scheme and restructuring in the PIA. “A technical grant for petroleum ministry and educational grants including scholarships for community schools and students will also be approved from the meeting,” they said.

The federal minister will chair his first meeting of the ECC on Wednesday after he replaced the former Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh yesterday, who was asked by the Prime Minister Imran Khan to leave his post after the latter was unhappy over rising inflation in the country.

PM Khan was unsatisfied with the performance of the finance team over rising inflation in the country, Senator Shibli Faraz confirmed it while speaking during ARY NEWS programme yesterday.

“PM Khan was unhappy due to inflation in the country and decided to bring in a new finance team,” he said, adding that the premier has expressed confidence over the performance of Hammad Azhar and appointed him new finance minister.