Prime Minister Yousaf Raza will visit Ministry of Finance on March 13 to have a detailed briefing on current economic situation. Sources said Prime Minister''s visit to the Ministry of Finance and briefing on the economic situation may be an indicator that he intends to keep to himself the portfolio, at least till the next budget.
Unlike past, when the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet meeting was presided over by Minister for Petroleum Naveed Qamar in the absence of Finance Minister, the Prime Minister himself chaired the meeting of the ECC on Tuesday. The Prime Minister was given a detailed presentation by the high-ups of Ministry of Finance on the economic situation in the ECC meeting and his decision to visit the Ministry just one day after the ECC meeting was surprising even for the high-ups of the Ministry of Finance.
The Prime Minister was given a rosy picture of the economy as indicated in the Press Release issued by the Prime Minister Secretariat after the ECC meeting. When contacted, an official of the Ministry of Finance said that they have just received the notice in respect of the Prime Minister''s visit to the Ministry to have a briefing on the current economic situation of the country.