ISLAMABAD, July 8: As organisational structure of Economic Affairs Division (EAD) has been expanded with the implementation of the 18th amendment, 14 new posts of joint secretaries, deputy secretaries and section officers have been created.

The division has, however, submitted a request for 42 senior and junior officials. A request for 28 more joint secretaries, deputy secretaries and section officers is under process.

Economic Affairs Secretary Abdul Wajid Rana briefed the NA standing committee on the arrangements made for handling the additional work.

The division would additionally look after international matters relating to population planning, youth affairs, Unesco, Pakistan National Commission for Unesco, coordination of work relating to assistance in food sector by FAO, handling agreements with foreign countries and international organisations.

The division is also responsible for health, drug and medical facilities abroad, public health, international health regulations, scholarships and training courses in health from Unicef and WHO, and would be dealing and making agreements with international organisations in the fields of labour and social security.

The EAD is also responsible for policy matters relating to lending, re-lending foreign loans and credits, monitoring of disbursement, utilisation and repayments of economic assistance, foreign scholarship for Pakistan and foreign students, matters relating to joint ministerial commissions, Paris Club and regional economic cooperation conference on Afghanistan and Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation.

The EAD secretary informed the committee about loans obtained by the government from foreign and national financial institutions and mode of repayment.

He said workers’ remittances increased by 25 per cent during the fiscal year 2010-11 and the country’s foreign reserves have touched the historic figure of $18.2 billion.

At the same time, the year saw surge in exports to the tune of $24 billion.

Mr Rana said that foreign private investment showed a reduction of 30 per cent during the last fiscal year.

Presided over by Malik Azmat Khan, the meeting of National Assembly’s Standing Committee was attended by Arif Aziz Shaikh, Pirzada Imran Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Arshad Khan Leghari, Chaudhry Liaqat Abbas Bhatti and Sufyan Yusaf.