ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has handed over the additional charge of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission to Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal.
In pursuance of Establishment Division’s notification No./86/2008-E-6 dated 31th May, 2022, the Prime Minister has been pleased to allow Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, to hold the office and perform the functions of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, in addition to his own duties, without any emoluments, financial benefits and perks attached to the position, with immediate effect and until further orders, said a notification No.2(7)HRM-IN/PD&S1/2022 issued here.
It is worth mentioning here that on May 21, 2022, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Dr Mohammad Jahanzeb Khan had 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. Earlier 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. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Khan was appointed as Deputy Chairman Planning Commission on August 3, 2019 by the PTI government. In August 2020, Dr Jahanzeb Khan was reappointed as deputy chairman for a period of three years after retiring from civil servant. However, he had resigned prior to completion of his tenure.
The resignation of DCPC was the second resignation from the Planning Commission of Pakistan, after Ahsan Iqbal’s assuming charge of the planning minister. Earlier, Chief Economist Planning Commission Mohammad Ahmad Zubair had resigned from his post apparently owing to his political affiliation with the previous government. During the PTI tenure, there was a full time Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and this was the reason that there was little space of the induction or approval of political motivated projects, the source said. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Jehanzeb was fully authorized to say no to any politically motivated project, the source claimed.
In pursuance of Establishment Division’s notification No./86/2008-E-6 dated 31th May, 2022, the Prime Minister has been pleased to allow Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, to hold the office and perform the functions of Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, in addition to his own duties, without any emoluments, financial benefits and perks attached to the position, with immediate effect and until further orders, said a notification No.2(7)HRM-IN/PD&S1/2022 issued here.
It is worth mentioning here that on May 21, 2022, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Dr Mohammad Jahanzeb Khan had 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. Earlier 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. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Khan was appointed as Deputy Chairman Planning Commission on August 3, 2019 by the PTI government. In August 2020, Dr Jahanzeb Khan was reappointed as deputy chairman for a period of three years after retiring from civil servant. However, he had resigned prior to completion of his tenure.
The resignation of DCPC was the second resignation from the Planning Commission of Pakistan, after Ahsan Iqbal’s assuming charge of the planning minister. Earlier, Chief Economist Planning Commission Mohammad Ahmad Zubair had resigned from his post apparently owing to his political affiliation with the previous government. During the PTI tenure, there was a full time Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and this was the reason that there was little space of the induction or approval of political motivated projects, the source said. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Jehanzeb was fully authorized to say no to any politically motivated project, the source claimed.
