Dar-led panel to approve MNAs uplift schemes

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has formed a 27-member steering committee to approve the development schemes of parliamentarians. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has been appointed as the chairman of the steering committee for SDGs.

Earlier, Ahsan Iqbal was the chairman of the steering committee as planning minister in the coalition government. This time he was not given the chairmanship.

Seven federal ministers, nine National Assembly members and 11 bureaucrats have been included in the committee. Apart from Ishaq Dar (Chairman), the federal ministers are Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah, Trade Jam Kamal, Power Owais Leghari, Privatisation Abdul Aleem Khan and Overseas Pakistanis Salik Hussain.

The National Assembly members included in the committee are Sardar Muhammad Yusuf Zaman, Riazul Haq, Raja Parvez Ashraf, Shazia Murri, Javed Hanif Khan, Khalid Hussain Magsi, Pillain, Ejazul Haq and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.

The Cabinet Division secretary would be the secretary of the committee. Apart from him, the secretaries of Finance Division, Planning Division, Petroleum Division, Power Division, Housing and Construction, Interior, Punjab and Sindh Planning and Development Board chairmen, Khyber. Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan additional chief secretaries (development) are also included.

Despite the economic difficulties, the federal government has decided to continue the development schemes of parliamentarians in the current financial year.

In the federal budget, Rs75 billion have been allocated for the development projects of the National Assembly members.