ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is considering State Minister for Finance Rana Afzal Khan for the slot of advisor to prime minister on finance during the absence leave of Ishaq Dar, following the refusal of former finance minister Shaukat Tarin for the same slot.
The prime minister is mulling over the establishment of Economic Advisory Committee (EAC) which would include economists and technocrats for advising concerned authorities regarding the economic matters of the country, reported The News. The decision to this effect will be taken after taking into confidence the political leadership of PML-N.
Abbasi has assigned Rana Afzal Khan, who is currently holding the portfolio of Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Economic Affairs, to look after the challenging economic situation as well as the parliamentary affairs on behalf of the Finance Ministry.
Tarin has confirmed that he had refused to get the slot as the Finance Ministry is weak at the present due to the absence of Ishaq Dar. He also said that he would only become the part of the EAC after considering the stature of other members of the Committee. If Dr Hafiz Pasha, Dr Ishrat Hussain and Saleem Raza opt to join EAC, he would then consider becoming part of any such forum.
