ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday ap­­proved the reconstitution of 13-member National Eco­no­mic Council (NEC) — a constitutional body responsible for reviewing the country’s overall economic condition and formulating plans while ensuring balanced development and regional equity — under Article 156 of the Constitution.

According to an official announcement, Prime Min­i­ster Shehbaz Sharif has no­­minated Minister for Pla­n­ning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and Finance Minister Miftah Ismail from the ruling PML-N, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar from the PPP and Communications Minister Asad Mehmood who belongs to the JUI-F.

Those who will represent the provinces in the NEC, besides their chief ministers, are: Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari of the PML-N from Punjab, Sena­tor Nisar Khoro of the PPP from Sindh, Taimur Saleem Jhagra of the PTI from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Noor Muhammad Damar of the Balochistan Awami Pa­ty (BAP) from Balochistan.

The deputy chairman of the Planning Commission and federal secretaries of finance, economic affairs and planning divisions attend the meetings of the NEC on special invitation.

Article 156(2) of the Cons­­titution states: “The NEC shall review the overall economic condition of the country and shall, for advising the federal government and the provincial governments, formulate plans in respect of financial, commercial, social and economic policies; and in formulating such plans, it shall, amongst other factors, ensure balanced development and regional equity.”

According to the Cons­ti­tution, the NEC meetings shall be summoned by the chairman or on a requisition made by one-half of the me­mbers of the council. The NEC is requi­red to meet at least twice a year and the quorum for a meeting of the council shall be one-half of its total membership.

It is answerable to parliament and is also required to submit its annual report to both houses.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2022