ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Thursday reconstituted three key committees of the federal cabinet including a downgrade of all important Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) with greater focus on Chinese investments.

According to separate notifications issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, the CCoE would now be headed by Minister for Power & Petroleum Muhammad Ali instead of the prime minister as used to be in the PDM government. The composition of the committee has also been reduced to five including the chairman, instead of eight earlier in the PDM government. The four other unchanged members of the committee include ministers for power, finance, planning and water resources. In the PTI-led government, the planning minister used to lead the CCoE.

The ministers for Maritime Affairs, Board of Investment and States & Frontier Regions who used to be part of the CCoE led by the prime minister have now been axed. On the other hand, the number of government employees and junior members of the cabinet who used to be regular participants of the CCoE huddles through special invitations has also been reduced to nine from 10 earlier.

Now advisers to the PM on finance and establishment, the deputy chairman Planning Commission would be invited to the CCoE meetings in place of ministers of state for power, petroleum, finance and adviser on establishment. Other special invitees including four secretaries for finance, power, petroleum and law & justice and chairmen of Ogra and Nepra would remain unchanged.

Downgraded CCoE to be headed by power minister

Roles and jurisdictions of the CCoE have also been maintained to deal with energy projects and policies with particular emphasis on those falling under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the completion of related projects within the timelines stipulated for them.

CCoCIP: Likewise, the cabinet secretariat has also notified the constitution of a 9-member Cabinet Committee on Chinese Investment Projects (CCoCIP) instead of 13 members in the previous PDM government. While most of the membership consolidation has taken place because of the relatively smaller cabinet of caretaker prime minister, the only fresh induction to the committee pertains to the minister for law & justice, climate change and water resources and the exclusion of the minister for BoI as the portfolio is not held by anyone. The prime minister will personally lead the committee like his predecessor.

However, the number of special invitees has been increased to 20 from 17 in the Shehbaz Sharif-led forum, with the addition of advisers to the PM on establishment and finance and deputy chairman Planning Commission. Mr Sharif had also particularly included the director general of military operations among the special participants who has now been excluded.

The CCoCIP has to oversee the progress of investment projects by Chinese companies, resolve expeditiously their issues with various government entities, create an enabling environment for Chinese investment and ensure the security of Chinese working or living in Pakistan.

CCLC: Similarly, the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) has also been reconstituted with a slightly reduced membership. To be led by minister for law and justice, the committee would comprise ministers for information, planning, religious affairs and IT and telecom.

Earlier, in the PDM government, the committee led by law minister comprised ministers for interior, water resources, board of investment, parliamentary affairs and economic affairs.

The Attorney General for Pakistan and secretaries for cabinet division and law & justice would remain unchanged as special invitees while an additional secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office has now been added to the committee.

Surprisingly, the new committee would also be responsible for examining whether fresh legislation or amendments in the existing laws are in line with the Constitutional scheme, not in violation of any existing law, and fall within the mandate of Parliament and to examine the contents of fresh legislations and rules as well as amendments to the existing laws/rules, and give its recommendations as to whether the same is in line with the policy of the government and Constitutional and legislative scheme.

Under the terms of reference, in case the CCLC decides to amend the proposal of the sponsoring Division, from a policy perspective, and the same is agreed to by the sponsoring Division in the CCLC meeting, the amended proposal shall be placed before the Cabinet for ratification and in case of disagreement between the Sponsoring Division and CCLC on a policy matter, the points of view of both shall be placed before the Cabinet for a decision.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2023