Ecnec reconstituted after IHC orders.

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan has reconstituted the Executive Committee of National Council (Ecnec) to comply with recent orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which ruled against unelected advisers and special assistants to head decision-making forums.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh will continue to be the chairman of the eight-member inter-provincial decision-making body on development. He was earlier leading the forum as Adviser to PM on Finance.

On Dec 7, the IHC had ruled that the unelected advisers and special assistants cannot head the government's committees and subsequently set aside the notification of Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) headed by Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh. Shaikh was then notified as federal minister.

As a result, the prime minister excluded Adviser to PM on Commerce and Industry Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser to PM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Husain from the Ecnec. In their place Minister for Planning Asad Umar and Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar made their way into the reconstituted Ecnec. Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar, formerly planning minister, would continue to be the federal member.

Asad and Hammad have been inducted

In addition to these members, Ecnec would also continue to include four provincial members; Finance Minister Punjab Makhdum Hashim Jawan Bakht, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro from Sindh, KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Balochistan Minister for Communication and Works Nawabzada Tariq Khan Magsi.

The deputy chairman planning commission, Dr Ishrat Hussain and Abdul Razak...