Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday approved an expansion in the membership of the Cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), adding Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to the influential economic body.
According to an official statement, the prime minister expressed confidence that Siddiqui would actively contribute to the committee’s work and play a meaningful role in supporting the country’s economic development and policymaking process.
“I am hopeful that Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui will perform an active role as a member of the ECC and make his full contribution toward the progress of the country and the welfare of the nation,” the prime minister said.
The Economic Coordination Committee is regarded as one of the federal government’s most significant cabinet committees, tasked with handling major economic, financial, and administrative matters. The body regularly reviews key issues related to fiscal management, energy, trade, subsidies, and broader economic policy.
Operating under the federal cabinet, the ECC serves as a high-level forum for swift decision-making on urgent economic matters before recommendations are forwarded to the cabinet for formal approval.
The committee is generally chaired by the federal finance minister, although the prime minister may preside over meetings when required, particularly on issues of national economic importance.
Analysts view the inclusion of additional cabinet members in the ECC as part of the government’s effort to broaden consultation on economic policy amid ongoing fiscal and financial challenges facing the country.
