In a first, Iqbal invites predecessor over farewell dinner

Minister wishes to discuss development projects initiated by PTI and their continuation

ISLAMABAD:

In a move without any illustrious precedent, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Friday invited his predecessor Asad Umar over a farewell dinner.

According to sources, Iqbal intimated his desire to hold a farewell dinner with his predecessor to discuss development projects initiated by the former and their continuation in the public interest. The minister is reportedly awaiting a reply from Umar.

Ahsan Iqbal, who has previously served as interior minister, was sworn into Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet on April 19 and was given the charge of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.

The minister, compelled by an urgent need to develop the economy cluster, announced on Thursday to bring all the relevant stakeholders from across the country under the umbrella of a “Turn Around Conference” to get their input on the country’s stuttering economy and find practical solutions to bring it back on track.

Read Govt to wind up CPEC authority

“TAC will invite all stakeholders from across Pakistan to boost the economy through short-term initiatives,” he said while chairing a meeting.

Emphasising how the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a big game-changer for the region, Iqbal said action will be taken on war footing to complete the projects initiated in 2013.

It is pertinent to note that the new government has decided to abolish the CPEC authority amid disclosure that Chinese power producers have shut down 1,980 megawatts of production capacity due to non-clearance of their Rs300 billion dues.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has passed instructions to the concerned officials to begin the process of abolishing the authority.

We will move a summary seeking Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s approval to abolish the CPEC Authority, Iqbal confirmed to The Express Tribune a day earlier. “It is a redundant organisation with a huge waste of resources which has thwarted speedy implementation of the CPEC," said the minister.

The decision to wind up the CPEC Authority was in line with the Pakistan Muslim League-N’s old policy that was never in favour of establishing a parallel setup.