Shehbaz surrenders ECC chairmanship to Aurangzeb

After criticism from different quarters, the Prime Minister has made a significant reversal by appointing Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb as the Chairman of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on March 23, the ECC will be comprised of the Finance Minister as its chairman, while the Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister for Commerce, Minister for Power, Minister for Petroleum, and Minister for Planning will be members of the committee. 

The ECC has been given powers to call secretaries from almost all ministries and departments including the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue and Chairman Board of Investment. 

Earlier, it was reported that the PM ousted Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb from the chairmanship of two crucial committees, giving Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar a prominent role in financial matters.

PM retained the chairmanship of the ECC instead of appointing Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb as its head. However, Aurangzeb would chair ECC meetings in the absence of the prime minister.

Aurangzeb was granted only chairmanship of the Cabinet Committee on State-owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs), while Dar was appointed as chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCOP), a position previously held by the finance minister.