LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has formed a 14-member Policy Council to provide “policy input to the party leadership”.

Headed by party’s central leader Asad Umar, it comprises professionals and experts of various sectors.

The body will be directly answerable to the chairman and provide guidelines to the parliamentary party -- both in centre and provinces -- on issues to be raised in their respective houses.

It will also provide its input for manifesto for next general election besides holding seminars, conferences and discussions on certain subjects.

According to the notification, Shahid Zia will represent agriculture sector, Naeem Mir (trade), Zafar Iqbal Sarwar (textile), Feroze Khan (industry), Shirin Mazari (foreign policy and internal security), Jehangir Saifullah (petroleum and natural resources), Omar Zaheer Mir (livestock), Saim Amer (economy), Rana Abdul Samee (labour), Malik Ameen Aslam (environment), Shahid Sattar (water and power), Ali Asghar Khan (local government) and Yassir Fayyaz will act as coordinator of the council.

There will be a separate and independent office of the council which will meet on a monthly basis, Naeem Mir told Dawn after attending the maiden meeting of the body the other day.

The meeting framed terms of reference of the council and agenda of its first formal meeting to be held after Eidul Fitr with Imran Khan as the chief guest, he said.

According to him, the members have been asked to formulate suggestions about their respective sectors for the first meeting as well as form committees for further consultations with professionals concerned.

Meanwhile, PTI national organiser Shah Mehmood Qureshi met Punjab organiser Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar here on Tuesday. Both the leaders discussed various issues related to the party reorganisation and local elections in Punjab.

They also reviewed future strategy to make the party more effective and stronger at the gross roots level.

Criticising the performance of both federal and Punjab governments, they said the ongoing electricity loadshedding across the country was complete failure of rulers.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the energy crisis and price-hike exposed high claims of good governance of the rulers. He said political leaders having passion to serve the people were joining the PTI and that was another example of their trust in the policies of the party.

Chaudhry Sarwar pledged to reorganise the party across the province and make it stronger at the gross roots level. He hoped that the party workers would utilise their abilities to convey the message of the party chairman at the doorstep of every common man with the aim to bring about a real change in the system.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2015

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