ISLAMABAD   -   The drop scene of tussle between Ministry of Planning and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission took place Friday when the later has resigned from his post, which was accepted by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has appointed Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of Pakistan (DCPC). Sources privy to the development told The Nation that the decision of the removal of Jehanzeb Khan as a DCPC was taken after the intervention of PML(N) president Nawaz Sharif. “The Prime Minister has been pleased to accept the resignation of Mr Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan from the post of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, with immediate effect in lieu of one month’s pay,” said a notification issued by the Establishment Division. “Prime Minister has been pleased to allow Mr Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives, to hold the office and perform the functions of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, in addition to his duties, without any emoluments, financial benefits and perks attached to the position, with immediate effect and until further orders,” said another notification issued by the establishment division.

The tussle between Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Ahsan Iqbal and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jehanzeb Khan was started over various issues related to political interference in the development projects, appointment of a high official in Planning Commission, five years plan, 5Es etc. Beside, the deadlock between the two was affecting the affairs of the Planning Commission and Planning Ministry, the source said. The bureaucrats sitting in the ministry were using the deadlock for their own advantage and making their own decisions, the source claimed. Multiple revision in the PSDP was another reason for the removal of the DCPC, the source claimed. Notably,  Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had last month tried to resolve differences between the two The Prime Minister called the two at the office following reports of differences, however the meeting remained fruitless due to the both sticking to their respective positions.

In the meeting with the Prime Minister the Planning Minister was very clear about his stance. “He (Iqbal) wants full control of both the Planning Ministry and the Planning Commission or wants that he be relieved of the position,” the sources said. The prime minister has asked both the Planning Minister and the Deputy Chairman planning commission to sit down and amicably resolve the differences, the sources added. The minister is of the view that when political parties approach him regarding the developmental projects, he doesn’t have any authority to resolve their issues as the power lies with the Deputy Chairman Planning.  The planning Minister being a political figure is answerable to his own as well as his coalition partners, but in the absence of any power related to development projects brings frustration, the sources maintained.

The Minister and DCPC are at loggerheads for a quite some time over multiple issues. Earlier the Planning Minister had alleged that he was not consulted over the finalisation of development budget, economic targets. Incumbent planning minister and DCPC were not on good term, since the previous PDM government, when the later had resigned over developing differences with the minister.

In August 2019, the then PTI government had appointed former chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue Dr Jehanzeb Khan as Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (DCPC). The appointment of Jehanzeb Khan as DCPC marked the return of a bureaucrat to the important post of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission after 23 years. During the five years term of PML-N government from 2014-18, the Federal Minister for Planning and Development was holding the charge of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, which was followed by the initial one year of PTI tenure, where Planning Minister Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar was also holding the charge of DCPC.

After serving for almost a year as Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Jehanzeb Khan was due to retire from PAS on reaching superannuation in August 2020. However, the PTI government had reappointed him as DCPC for a period of three years.

Following the removal of the PTI government from power through no confidence motion in April, 2022, the PDM government had appointed Ahsan Iqbal as Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. Soon after the appointment of new minister, differences were developed between the Federal Planning Minister and DCPC Jehanzeb Khan. On May 21, 2022, Dr Jahanzeb had resigned from the post, apparently due to the differences Ahsan Iqbal over the volume of development budget and inclusion of new projects in PSDP.  Dr Khan was appointed, once again, by the caretaker government to the post of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission in August 2023.

However, after the formation of PML(N) led new coalition government the tussle was once again started which has culminated on the resignation of the Jehanzeb Khan.

He was first appointed to this position during Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s second tenure in 1997. Later, he served as Federal Minister for Planning and Development in 2013, 2022, and 2024. Notably, Ahsan Iqbal has concurrently held the offices of Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and Federal Minister for Planning and Development from 2013-2017 and 2022-2023.