ISLAMABAD: The PML-N and PPP joined hands in the Senate on Monday to oppose a move for creation of an independent ‘supra body’ for long-term economic planning.

Sania Nishtar of the PTI had moved a motion in the house seeking to introduce the Pakistan Future Council Bill, 2023, which was defeated by 25-16.

The proposed bill sought to provide for an independent Pakistan future council as a federal advisory body to ensure long-term economic policy-making, particularly in the areas of economic growth and development, to ensure that the country is on track.

Ms Nishtar, while explaining the bill, said there was no independent institutions for economic decision-making and thus conflict of interest in the government-controlled institutions is not taken into account.

Senate witnesses debate on separation of politics and economy

Saadia Abbasi of the PML-N was the first to oppose the bill, saying there was no need for it. She said the planning committee was doing the job. PPP’s Senator Sherry Rehman agreed that Pakistan needs long-term economic planning, but stressed that this was the job of governments.

She recalled that her party had been advocating for political and economic agreement. Opposing the idea of a future council, she said the bill seeks to take away power from the government and impose a supra body on it.

Abdul Ghafoor Haidri of JUI-F also opposed the bill, pointing out that the parliament was incomplete and there was no emergency.

Musaddik Malik of PML-N said the concept was good, but there was no need for the bill.

When Farogh Naseem of MQM proposed a tweak in the bill to separate politics from economy, a debate started over the subject. Senator Irfanul Haq Siddiqui said politics and economy cannot be segregated.

He said only elected representatives can ensure the country is on track. He said when a political party coming into power it comes with an agenda and objectives, 90 per cent of which have something to do with economy.

Ms Abbasi said that only a parliamentary system can provide a high-powered and highly credible decision-making forum. She opposed separation of politics from economy and the move for a supra body binding the elected government.

Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that as a matter of principle, future planning was very important.

However, he particularly objected to a provision of the proposed bill which reads “the council shall act as the apex network of think-tanks in the country to tap collective wisdom” and said this will open the door to conformity, uniformity and control.

He said there should be no controlled mechanism for actual thinking.

“The biggest watchdog is either the opposition or the parliament, not a new organisation. This organisation would be an unnecessary overlap,” he said. Caretaker Minister for Interior Sarfraz Bugti did not oppose the motion.

The House rejected a resolution seeking to call upon the government to immediately create a cross-sectoral task force in the country to identify gaps in financing towards food system and develop a clear understanding of the country’s financing needs in line with Pakistan’s global commitments ahead of COP-28. The resolution, moved by Sania Nishtar, was defeated by 22 votes against 11.

“The House also demands that Pakistan should engage with global partners to unlock investments from public, private, multilateral development banks and philanthropic sources to shift to good food finance and to actively participate in the co-investment platform for food systems transformation that is to be launched at COP-28”, it read.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2023