Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Friday called for placing the Planning Commission at the centre of Pakistan’s economic decision-making framework, saying it should guide ministries and divisions to ensure policy consistency and effective development planning.
Chairing a meeting on economic reforms, Dar said the Planning Commission should operate as an apex body under the direct leadership of the prime minister and serve as a clearinghouse for major economic decisions.
According to a handout issued by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Dar stressed that the commission must be empowered to set strategic priorities, oversee public investment and support sustainable reforms aimed at improving economic governance.
He proposed a dual structure for the Planning Commission, comprising a Policy and Planning Wing and a separate Development Wing, to strengthen coordination and implementation.
Dar said all significant economic decisions should be aligned with the national economic strategy and backed by clearly defined Key Performance Indicators to improve accountability, performance measurement and coherence across government departments.
He also highlighted the Planning Commission’s historic role in Pakistan’s economic and development policymaking and said restoring its centrality was essential for long-term planning.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance, Planning and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal; Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik; Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb; Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa; the secretary of the planning ministry; the national coordinator of the Special Investment Facilitation Council; and senior officials from relevant ministries and divisions.
