August 10, 2008	Sunday	Sha’aban 7, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has appointed three members to the Planning Commission in order to “make it a vibrant and dynamic organisation”.

The new members are in addition to the four advisers appointed on Friday by the prime minister. With the new appointments the recently vacated slots in the commission have been filled.

According to an official announcement on Saturday, the new members combine rich international and national experience and bring with them excellent credentials and expertise of the highest level.

The newly appointed members are: Dr M.E. Tusneem, member (food and agriculture), an eminent agriculture expert and former chairman of the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council and director of the Asian Development Bank; Parvez Butt, member (energy), a scientist and a former chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and also secretary to the ministry of science and technology; and M. Akram Mali, member (infrastructure), who is a former federal secretary of the planning division and executive director of the Asian Development Bank.

The existing members of the commission are: Ejaz Rahmi, member (social sectors), former cabinet secretary and health minister during an interim government; Sohail Safdar, member (coordination) and secretary to the planning and development division who has served as secretary for inter-provincial coordination; Dr Rashid Amjad, member (vice-chancellor PIDE) also performing the function of chief economist, a former director, policy planning, ILO Geneva and author of two global reports; and Lt-Gen (retd) Mohammad Zubair, member (implementation, monitoring and evaluation); former chief engineer of the Pakistan Army.

The prime minister, the announcement said, had given the highest priority to building a team of high-level professionals and specialists at commission to face the mounting economic challenges.

The prime minister, who is the chairman of the commission, is expected to visit the commission offices soon to share his vision of Pakistan’s future development needs.

He will also review the preparatory work made for the next Five Year Plan.