Imran sets up new national development body

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has set up the National Development Council (NDC) — which he will chair — while its members include Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Hafeez Sheikh.

According to a June 13 notification, in addition to the Prime Minister, the Army chief and the finance adviser/finance minister, the NDC will also have the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Federal Minister for Commerce/Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Industries and Production and Investment.

It also contains the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Secretary, Foreign Affairs Division, Secretary, Finance Division, Secretary, Planning, Development and Reforms Division.

The NDC will also have the provincial chief ministers, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister, and the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan — who will be conditional members “on invitation” — as will any additional minister or head of a strategic body. The additional secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office will be the secretary of the council.

The NDC will “set policies and strategies for development; formulate and tailor policies to achieve accelerated economic growth; approve long term planning for national and regional connectivity, and provide guidelines for regional cooperation”.