Imran Rasul resigns from EAC in solidarity with Atif Mian

Asim Ijaz Khwaja was the second EAC member to resign

ISLAMABAD: The government continues to bear the brunt of its decision to remove – under pressure of far-right groups – the US-based Ahmadi economist Dr Atif Mian from the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) as another member of the newly-formed council resigned in protest.

Dr Imran Rasul on Saturday announced his resignation from the membership of the advisory council, saying, “The circumstances in which Atif was asked to step down are ones I profoundly disagree with.”

With a heavy heart, I have resigned from the EAC this morning. The circumstances in which Atif was asked to step down are ones I profoundly disagree with. Basing decisions on religious affiliation goes against my principles, or the values I am trying to teach my children. (1/5)

— Imran Rasul (@ImranRasul3) September 8, 2018

Dr Rasul, a London-based economist, is the second EAC member who resigned in protest. Earlier, on Friday, Dr Asim Ijaz Khwaja, who was also made member of this council, had resigned, saying, “Being a Muslim, I can’t justify this [removal of Atif Mian due to his faith].”

The government constituted an 18-member EAC that is supposed to advise and assist the incumbent regime on formulation of economic policies to steer the country out of the prevailing financial crises.

I wish the government and EAC luck in their future work, and remain willing to offer non-partisan, evidence based advice that can help improve economic policy making in the country. (5/5)

— Imran Rasul (@ImranRasul3) September 8, 2018

Out of 18 members, 11 were taken from the private sector. And of them, three have resigned so far. In a series of tweets, Dr Rasul expressed his concerns and reasons for tendering resignation.

“With a heavy heart, I have resigned from the EAC this morning. The circumstances in which Atif [Mian] was asked to step down are ones I profoundly disagree with. Basing decisions on religious affiliation goes against my principles, or the values I am trying to teach my children,” he wrote.

Dr Rasul said establishment of the EAC and its members offered a great opportunity for better economic policy but events of past 10 days had shown the best and worst of Pakistani politics at the moment.

I wish the government and EAC luck in their future work, and remain willing to offer non-partisan, evidence based advice that can help improve economic policy making in the country. (5/5)

— Imran Rasul (@ImranRasul3) September 8, 2018

“Truth be told, if there was one academic on the EAC that Pakistan needs, it was Atif R Mian. Resolving the macro and fiscal mess the country is in will lay the bedrock for social protection, poverty alleviation policies and other economic reforms the country also needs,” his third tweet reads.

He said Pakistan is full of talent and that he had seen this in the students, academics, organisations, NGOs and civil servants he had worked with. “It needs leaders willing to draw on all this talent and that are willing to appeal to our better sides for the common good and not sow division.”

He concluded: “I wish the government and EAC luck in their future work, and remain willing to offer non-partisan, evidence-based advice that can help improve economic policy making in the country.”

On Friday, Dr Khawaja, professor of International Finance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School, had also resigned while thanking for a ‘chance to aid analytical reasoning’.



The appointment of Dr Atif Mian of Princeton University Department of Economics and Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy to the EAC was opposed by some groups, including the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) that objected to his Ahmadi faith.

Initially, the PTI government had defended the academic's nomination, saying in categorical terms that it will ‘not bow to extremists’. But, in a surprise move on Friday morning, the information minister announced government’s decision to withdraw Dr Mian’s nomination.

“The government has decided to withdraw Atif Mian’s nomination. We aspire to forge ahead with the cooperation of all stakeholders. This includes people from all socio-economic backgrounds and religious scholars. A single appointment cannot be allowed to hold this hostage,” Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.