ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari nominated four members of Federal Government for National Economic Council in terms of Article 156(1) of the Constitution on the advice of the Prime Minister here on Friday.
Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan, Federal Minister for Communications (MNA from Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa), Ch Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Minister for Water and Power (MNA from Punjab), Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Finance, Revenue, Planning and Development, Economic Affairs and Statistics (Senator from Sindh), Mir Changez Khan Jamali, Federal Minister for Science and Technology (MNA from Balochistan) and Mr Husnain Mirza, (MPA from Sindh) were nominated as members of NEC by the president.
President’s spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that according to Clause 1 of Article 156, the NEC comprises of the PM, the Chief Ministers and one member from each province to be nominated by the Chief Minister. The Prime Minister may also nominate four more members from time to time. He said although it was neither mandatory nor constitutional requirement yet the former Prime Minister had nominated the above federal ministers, one from each province, on the NEC.