ISLAMABAD: After refusal of former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin to become adviser to Prime Minister (PM) on finance during the absence leave of Ishaq Dar, PM Shahid Khakan Abbasi is considering State for Finance with strong possibility to appoint Rana Afzal Khan on this slot.
Abbasi is also considering establishing Economic Advisory Committee (EAC) for running economic matters of the country for seeking advice of economists and technocrats.
The decision to this effect will be taken after taking into confidence the political leadership of PML-N.
How much this model will remain successful, is yet to be known keeping in view arising challenging situation on economic matters especially on external front of the economy in the wake of rising current account deficit.
Rana Afzal Khan will be assigned to look after challenging economic situation as well as parliamentary affairs on behalf of Finance Ministry. Rana is currently holding the portfolio of Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Economic Affairs.
There was proposal under consideration at the top for selecting two persons as Minister of State for Finance as well as Advisor to PM on Finance separately but no independent technocrat or economist was ready to get this slot at twilight of the tenure of the incumbent regime.
When contacted to former finance minister Shaukat Tarin on Tuesday, he confirmed that he had refused to get slot of Advisor to PM
owing to variety of reasons as he could not get weak slot at this stage. When asked about possibility for becoming part of proposed EAC, he said that he would take decision to see stature of other members of the EAC for taking decision on this account. If Dr Hafiz Pasha, Dr Ishrat Hussain and Saleem Raza opt to join EAC he would then consider becoming part of any such forum.
During the absent leave of Ishaq Dar, PM Abbasi has decided to keep this slot with him. Special Assistant to PM on Revenues Haroon Akhtar Khan has been working with
the FBR and so far performed well by achieving over 19 percent revenue growth in first four months despite all odds at economic and political fronts.
But the economic challenge especially on account of external front demand immediate appointment of professional who knows about economic matters and possesses capability to undertake complex decisions without wasting any further time.
“Prime Minister Khakan Abbasi was expected to take decision to this effect last week after holding meeting with PML-N leader
Mian Nawaz Sharif at Lahore but the situation emerged because of sit in at Islamabad caused delay in decision making process to this effect. Now the PM is likely to take decision within this week or maximum by next week for appointing upcoming economic wizard of the country,” said the sources.