ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has approved the resignation of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission (DCPC) Dr. Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan and appointed Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal as the new DCPC with immediate effect, as per private newspaper report.
The Minister for Planning will now hold full authority in the Planning Ministry after assuming the role of DCPC. However, Dr. Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan will continue his duties as Secretary of the Apex Committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
Media reports indicate that a war of nerves had been ongoing within the P-Block (Ministry of Planning) at Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, for the past few months. Ultimately, the Minister for Planning prevailed, as he was uncomfortable with the situation where all development projects were being cleared by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), headed by the DCPC.
Ahsan Iqbal had expressed his discomfort to the PM’s Office and made extensive efforts over the past few months to remove DCPC Dr. Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan.
Finally, Iqbal prevailed, and the Prime Minister’s Office instructed Dr. Jehanzeb Khan to submit his resignation, which he did. On Friday, the PM accepted it with immediate effect.
According to two separate notifications issued by the Cabinet Division, the PM has accepted the resignation of Dr. Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan from position of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission with immediate effect and in lieu of one month salary.
Another official notification states that the prime minister has granted approval for Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, to hold office and perform the functions of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission in addition to his current duties, without any emolument, financial benefits, or perks attached to the position, effective immediately and until further notice.
According to the Ministry of Planning spokesperson, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of Pakistan (DCPC). He was first appointed to this position during Nawaz Sharif’s second tenure in 1997.
It should be noted that he served as Federal Minister for Planning and Development in 2013, 2022, and 2024. Notably, Ahsan Iqbal concurrently held the positions of Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and Federal Minister for Planning and Development from 2013-2017 and 2022-2023. Therefore, his reappointment to this role is not unusual.
