ISLAMABAD - Despite having been disqualified for life to hold public office, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf stalwart Jahangir Khan Tareen is holding key policy meetings as documents have surfaced where Tareen has chaired a meeting of working group for PTI’s 100 days agenda, raising many eyebrows.

The first meeting of the working group was held at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat with Tareen as convener along with representative from public and private sectors, minutes of the meeting available with The Nation revealed. However, Special Assistant to the PM on Media Affairs Iftikhar Durrani has no knowledge of such a meeting. Sources close to Tareen also have no clue about the meeting.

A member of the meeting also confirmed to this scribe about the developments of the meeting.

However, documents state that a meeting was held on September 13 and the agenda was to develop a concrete plan to deliver on the Prime Minister’s commitment to “Revamp Livestock Sector” under “Uplift agriculture and Conserve Water” theme of the 100 days Agenda.

The working  group agreed that depletion of social and economic capital in the livestock sector had reach an alarming level and that the sector as riddled with issues such as low productivity of livestock endowment, poor milk and milk-based products’ quality, poor meat quality, lesser demand for products which could boost the sector amongst other issues.

In line with the PTI’s 100 days agenda and manifesto, and the challenges discussed, it was agreed to create 7 sub-groups to achieve the milestones for revamping livestock sector, the documents further revealed. The milestone at end of the 100 days is to launch a comprehensive livestock plan. Leaders of respective sub-groups would share list of members with the Prime Minister’s Secretariat at their earliest convenience, it was agreed in the meeting. 

Saad Hayat Tamman, member of Prime Minister’s Reform Team will create a whatsApp group of all participants for coordination purposes only.

When The Nation contacted Iftikhar Durrani, he said that he was not aware about such kind of meeting, while Jahangir Tareen has denied having chaired any meeting.

The members of this force are Arbab Shahzad, advisor to the PM on Establishment,  Saad Hayat Tamman, member PM’s Reform Team, Amer Abdullag from Sapphire Dairies, Adeel Ahmed Aali from Nestle, Waqar Ahmed from Nestle, Syed Saud A Pasha from Engro Foods, Naseem Sadiq, former secretary Livestock, Imran Ejaz, Dr Hashim Popalzai, Secretary National Food Security and Research, Dr Yousuf Zafar, Chairman PARC, Dr Javed Humayun, Senior JS National Food and Security and Research, Irfan Khalid, Khurshid Ahmed, Director Animal Quarantine Department, Javed Iqbal Khan, Aamet Bin Zaheer DG National Veterinary Labs  and Tahir Anwar, DG Federal Water management.  Tareen is facing criticism for being present in government meetings despite having been disqualified by the Supreme Court. The SC is taking up his review petition today.