ISLAMABAD - Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Dr Mohammad Jahanzeb Khan has resigned from the post, apparently due to the differences with the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal over the volume of development budget and inclusion of new projects in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
According to the officials, Dr Jahanzeb Khan had serious reservations on the federal minister’s decision to include new projects in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) despite the shortage of funds and completion of ongoing projects. They further said that federal minister wanted to increase the volume of PSDP to Rs1 trillion for the next fiscal year. However, the deputy chairman was of the view to fix it at Rs700 billion for the year 2022-23. While chairing meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) the other day, Dr Khan had said that new projects would be included in the PSDP subject to the availability of funds.
This was the second resignation from the Planning Commission of Pakistan in this week. Earlier, Planning Commission Chief Economist Mohammad Ahmad Zubair resigned from his post apparently owing to his political affiliation with the previous government. Soon after the present government came into power, Dr Mohammad Ahmad Zubair informed Planning secretary about his decision of quitting his job; a source in the Planning Commission told the Nation. Now, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr Khan has resigned from the post. In August 2020, Dr Jahanzeb Khan was reappointed as the Planning Commission deputy chairman for a period of three years after retiring as civil servant. Earlier, Dr Khan was appointed as Planning Commission deputy chairman on August 3, 2019.
According to the officials, Dr Jahanzeb Khan had serious reservations on the federal minister’s decision to include new projects in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) despite the shortage of funds and completion of ongoing projects. They further said that federal minister wanted to increase the volume of PSDP to Rs1 trillion for the next fiscal year. However, the deputy chairman was of the view to fix it at Rs700 billion for the year 2022-23. While chairing meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) the other day, Dr Khan had said that new projects would be included in the PSDP subject to the availability of funds.
This was the second resignation from the Planning Commission of Pakistan in this week. Earlier, Planning Commission Chief Economist Mohammad Ahmad Zubair resigned from his post apparently owing to his political affiliation with the previous government. Soon after the present government came into power, Dr Mohammad Ahmad Zubair informed Planning secretary about his decision of quitting his job; a source in the Planning Commission told the Nation. Now, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr Khan has resigned from the post. In August 2020, Dr Jahanzeb Khan was reappointed as the Planning Commission deputy chairman for a period of three years after retiring as civil servant. Earlier, Dr Khan was appointed as Planning Commission deputy chairman on August 3, 2019.
