PM Kakar reshapes cabinet committees with focus on China

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.