Govt Adds Journalist Khurram Husain’s Name To Economic Advisory Council Without Asking Him

Govt Adds Journalist Khurram Husain’s Name To Economic Advisory Council Without Asking Him
Journalist Khurram Husain has clarified that his name was added to the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (EAC) 'without his knowledge or consent', adding that he will not be accepting the role.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reconstituted the now 18-member EAC, in light of recent economic challenges, to propose ways to correct and stabilize the economy.

This new council replaces an earlier 22-member EAC which consisted of many coalition partners and business tycoons, who have now been removed.

Instead, the new council consists of mostly Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) cabinet members, and private sector experts, and is led by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi instead of PM Shehbaz.

The members of the cabinet include Ahsan Iqbal, Dr Miftah Ismail, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Dr Aysha Ghaus Pasha and Dr Musadik Malik.

Other members, mostly from IBA and LUMS, include Dr Akbar Zaidi, Dr Nadeem Javed, Dr Samina Khalil, Dr Masood Ahmed, Dr Ijaz Nabi, Dr Hafeez Pasha, Dr Ali Cheema, Dr Syed Mohammad Hassan Shah, Dr Akhtar Hussain Shah, Dr S. Manzoor Ahmad, Khurram Hussain and Sakib Sherani.

However Khurram Hussain has clarified that the government had added his name to the EAC without his consent or knowledge. Addressing the matter on Twitter, he said that he had not sought out the role, and will not be accepting it.

https://twitter.com/KhurramHusain/status/1541491143124426752

He added that any economic advice he has to give will be through his journalism.

Additionally, only three members of the previous EAC under the PTI government remain, including Arif Habib, Mohammad Ali Tabba, and Dr Ijaz Nabi, however they are no longer in the advisory body. All members of PML-N have been retained in the new body.