PM, army chief part of body formed for economic revival

Govt forms National Development Council to step up growth, improve coordination

 ISLAMABAD  : The government has formed the National Development Council (NDC) -- with Prime Minister Imran Khan as its head and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa as one of its members -- to accelerate economic growth and improve coordination among the provinces and the federation.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Tuesday, the newly formed body will set policies and chalk out strategies for development and also provide guidelines for improving regional cooperation.

The chief ministers will also be invited to the council’s meetings.

The members of the council will also approve long-term planning for national and regional connectivity.

The other members of the body include Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi; Planning and Development Minister Khusro Bakhtiar; Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh; Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Industries & Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood; provincial chief ministers, the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan (on invitation); any additional minister/head of strategic body (on invitation); the secretary to the prime minister; the Foreign Affairs Division secretary; the Finance Division secretary; and the Planning, Development and Reforms Division  Secretary.

The Prime Minister’s Office’s additional secretary has been appointed the secretary of the council.