ISLAMABAD-The government has postponed the weekly meeting of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Wednesday following the decision of Islamabad High Court (IHC) that unelected advisers and special assistants could not head the Cabinet’s committees.
The government on Tuesday has issued the agenda of the ECC meeting, which was scheduled to held yesterday (Wednesday). According to the IHC’s decision, the advisors have been barred from chairing any cabinet committee or being its member. The IHC had declared unlawful to head cabinet committees as advisers and special assistants appointed by Prime Minister Imran Khan are non elected people. According to court orders, advisors and assistants cannot be members of special committees. Following the IHC’s verdict, the government had postponed the ECC meeting to avoid legal complications.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was to chair the ECC’s meeting, which was postponed. The ministry of finance has not issued any details about it. However, an official of the ministry informed that the government’s legal team is reviewing the decision of Islamabad High Court. He said that the government could not hold the ECC’s meeting due to the legal complications after the IHC’s decision. Another official said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will now be required to preside over the Economic Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) in his capacity as the finance minister instead of Finance Adviser.
The government had already issued the agenda of the ECC’s meeting. The agenda for Wednesday’s meeting included seven points with Karachi Transformation Plan for detailed discussion before being approved. The agenda also included discussion and approval of finance proposal concerning renationalization of subsides Phase-I. The ECC was to consider Interior Division’s proposal approve a technical supplementary grant for the project of ICI administration Islamabad, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination technical supplementary grant for an annual contribution of the government of Pakistan to the UNFPA, PPD, IPPF-FPAP for the fiscal year 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, and technical supplementary grant to pay Pakistan’s outstanding contribution to the WHO.
The meeting agenda also included Ministry of Commerce proposal concerning revision in re-lending policy 2016 for foreign loans/credits and Ministry of Finance proposal for renationalization of subsides Phase-I. The Ministry of Industries and Production proposal implementation of approved recommendations of Mobile device Manufacturing Policy and Electronic Vehicles (EV) 2-3 wheelers and HCVs) and approval of new proposals related to the automotive industry (four-wheelers EVs and premium on vehicles) was also on the meeting agenda.