PM Shehbaz to head ECNEC instead of FinMin

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reconstituted the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) with himself as the chairman, depriving Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb of heading the committee, ARY News reported.

According to practice, the finance minister heads the ECNEC as during the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) government, first Miftah Ismail and then Ishaq Dar headed the ECNEC.

During the caretaker setup, the then Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar headed the ECNEC, as per the practice.

This time around, the premier himself would head the ECNEC, while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal will also be the members of the committee.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Advisor on Finance Muzamil Aslam and Balochistan Finance Minister Shoaib Nosherwani are also named in ECNEC.

Earlier on June 7, President Asif Ali Zardari formed the National Economic Council (NEC) with Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif as the chairman and chief ministers of four provinces as members.

According to a notification issued here, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzaib, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, and Planning and Development Minister Ashan Iqbal have also been notified as members of the NEC.

Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz, Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Ali Amin Gandapur, and Balochistan CM Sarfaraz Bugti have also been notified as members.

Besides the CMs, one more representative from each provincial government has been incorporated into the NEC. Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advisor on Finance Muzamil Aslam, and Balochistan’s Planning and Development Minister Zahoor Ahmed Buledi are also named in the NEC.