Atif Mian asked to step down from Economic Advisory Council

Atif Mian, the newly appointed Princeton University qualified economist appointed just days ago by the PTI government to be apart of the PM-led Economic Advisory Council, has now been asked to step down from his position of Economic Advisor by the PTI government

The decision, announced by the PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan on Friday, was taken on account of immense pressure from various groups and religio-political parties against the appointment of Dr Mian, who cited his affiliation with a minority community as being the key root of the uproar.

 ‘Atif Mian was asked to step down from the Advisory Council and he has agreed. A replacement would be announced later’, tweeted the PTI senator.

Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhary affirmed the news and cited avoidance of division the main reason behind withdrawal of Dr Mian’s nomination from the Economic Advisory Council (EAC).

"The government wants to move forward alongside scholars and all social groups, and it is inappropriate if a single nomination creates an impression to the contrary," he tweeted.

The nomination and appointment of Dr Atif Mian of Princeton University (Department of Member Economics and Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy) to the 18-member EAC set up to give economic advice to the Government of Pakistan, specifically the Prime Minister, was opposed by various individuals and groups, including Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP)

A call-to-attention notice had also been submitted in the Senate by opposition parties objecting to the inclusion of an Ahmadi in the Economic Council. The notice bore the signatures of the PML-N, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party members.

However, the news of his withdrawal from the Economic Council came as a shock as various members from the PTI government had earlier defended his nomination saying ‘it will not bow down to extremists’.

In response to a social media campaign that had erupted against Dr Mian calling for his removal from the council, Information Minister Chaudhary had previously told a press conference in Islamabad that "Pakistan belongs as much to minorities as it does to the majority."