ISLAMABAD: Indications coming from within the government suggest that an arrangement is being worked out to appoint a minister of state to handle day-to-day matters of the finance ministry, while strategic decision-making and the portfolio of finance will remain with the prime minister.

Sources close to the prime minister’s camp told Dawn that under the arrangement being considered, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi would continue chairing the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet and various other important committees.

The indications also suggest that the name of MNA Rana Mohammad Afzal is being considered as potential candidate for minister of state (MoS) and the arrangement will be supported by an advisory committee comprising four to six members who will provide input to the government on economic issues.

Those working on the arrangement term it the “Shaukat Aziz model”, alluding to the Musharraf-era prime minister who retained the finance portfolio and appointed Omar Ayub Khan as his MoS for running day-to-day affairs of the finance ministry.

According to a source, the decision is still under consideration to make a formal arrangement for running the affairs of the finance ministry. The MoS will look into parliamentary affairs and appear before committees to defend government decisions, besides fulfilling other responsibilities.

There is a suggestion to include two businessmen in the proposed advisory committee.

However, another group in the ruling party is sceptical about the proposed arrangement. They are of the opinion that the job of managing the country’s economic policy is too complex and varied to be distributed across a number of individuals and committees.

They argue that a single financial adviser vested with ministerial powers is the better option. At the tail end of the Musharraf regime, Dr Salman Shah held such a portfolio, and in the last PML-N government, Dr Hafiz Pasha held a similar position for a few weeks.

Currently, the government has appointed four advisers, and as per the Constitution one more can be appointed.

The discussions are taking place following the “leave application” submitted by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Nov 20. The prime minister withdrew the portfolio of finance and economic affairs from Mr Dar on Nov 22 after granting him leave.

Those being considered for the proposed advisory committee in­c­lude, but are not restricted to, Shaukat Tarin, Dr Ishrat Husain, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail and Special Assistant to the PM on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2017