ISLAMABAD - President Dr Arif Alvi has signed and approved the summary for reconstitution of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on the advice of the prime minister.
The president gave approval under Article 153 of the constitution. The CCI would be headed by the prime minister and would comprise the chief ministers of four provinces besides three federal ministers. The CCI reconstitution became imperative after the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a vote of no-confidence last month.
Three federal ministers would also be part of the Council as nominated by the prime minister. Previous members nominated by former PM Imran Khan had been removed in the new composition.
The federal ministers include Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar, and Railways and Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq.
CCI is the highest level forum among the federal government and four provinces mandated to take consensus decisions concerning provinces’ share in the federal resources and other national level matters. The notification of reconstitution of CCI has been issued.
President Arif Alvi has not yet signed a summary sent to him by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the appointment of new Governor Punjab Baligh ur Rehman despite the passage of one week while the government is expected to appoint him next week through Cabinet Division.
“Under the article 48/1 of the constitution of Pakistan, the President is bound to sign the summary sent by prime minister for the appointment and removal of governors”, Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf told The Nation.
He said if the President sends the summary back to the Prime Minister then ten days after such a move the recommended governor would automatically be appointed.
The Attorney General also quoted the matter of the removal of Punjab Governor Umer Sarfraz Cheema, who was not removed by the President despite a summary sent by the PM, however, the federal government removed him through notification last week.
The President has also held the summary for the appointment of Governor Sindh Nasreen Jalil.
The President is expected to issue his comments on the matter next week and would send advice to the government accordingly.
