Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established an Economic Advisory Council (EAC) comprising renowned economists to ensure the government receives top-tier professional advice on economic policies.
According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, the EAC was constituted through the PMO’s U.O letter No. 20(8)/DS (EA-11)/2024 dated May 17, 2024, and will be in effect immediately until further notice.
The EAC includes distinguished members such as Jahangir Tareen, Saqib Shirazi, Shahzad Saleem, Musadik Zulqarnain, Dr. Ijaz Nabi, Asif Peer, Zaid Bashir, and Salman Ahmed. The council will be chaired by the prime minister, who will convene its meetings as necessary.
Sources indicate that the primary purpose of forming the EAC is to ensure that the government has access to the best possible professional advice to optimize and synergize the formulation and implementation of its economic and financial policies. The council is expected to play a crucial role in enhancing the government’s ability to design and implement effective policies aimed at rapid and sustained social and economic advancement, human resource development, business process improvement, and data service enhancement.
Additionally, the council will support the government in building its capacity for policy analysis and assist in engaging with the international network of recognized economists to contribute to Pakistan’s development.
This development comes at a critical time as Pakistan engages in negotiations with the IMF for a new bailout following a period of slight economic stabilization after the completion of the previous IMF program.
