ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has constituted National Economic Council (NEC). The Prime Minister will be the Chairman of the NEC. According to Article 156(1) of the Constitution," the NEC shall be constituted by the President comprising of the Prime Minister as the chairman of the Council, the Chief Ministers and one member from each provinces, to be nominated by the Chief Minister, and four other members as the Prime Minister may nominate from time to time.

President's Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the composition of the NEC would be as follows:

1. The Prime Minister- Chairman of the Council.

Member nominated by the Prime Minister included:

1. Muhammad Ishaq Dar

2. Ahsan Iqbal

3. Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi

4. Khwaja Mohammad Asif

The members from provinces include:

1. Chief Minister Punjab

2. Minister for Finance, Government of the Punjab

3. Chief Minister Sindh

4. Syed Murad Ali Shah, Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh on Finance

5. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

6. Siraj-ul-Haq, Senior Minister for Finance, KPK

7. Chief Minister Balochistan

8. Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, MPA, Balochistan

Those who would also be invited by Special invitation to attend the meetings of the NEC:

1. Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

2. Prime Minister, Azad Jammu & Kashmir

3. Chief Minister, Gilgit-Baltistan

4. Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission

5. Secretary Finance Division

6. Secretary Economic Affairs Division

7. Secretary Planning & Development Division

Copyright Business Recorder, 2013