ISLAMABAD; Prime minister, imran Khan, on Monday sacked his former political aide, Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema, as Convenor National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Agricultural Transformation. Sources said that his alleged misuse of official position as special assistant to the prime minister on Food Security, and his conflict of interest (He and his family are one of the importers/distributors of pesticides, and seeds) while implementing agricultural transformation plan led to his departure from this esteemed role.
Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema was asked to resign as special assistant to the prime minister last month. However, the prime minister had accepted Jamshaid Iqbal -Cheema’s request to award him the party ticket to contest by- electlon in NA 133 constituency in Lahore. Jamshaid Cheema and his spouse, Mussarat Cheema, could not bring something good for the party in this case too. Rather , Jamshaid Cheema and his spouse were disqualified as their proposer and seconder were not from NA 133 , a legal requirement to contest the election for any public office. After sacking of Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema, the prime minister has appointed federal minister for Food Security as new chaiman NCC. He also appointed Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri as NCC convener. Here it is pertinent to mention Dr Abid Suleri is also a member of prime minister’s Economic Advisory Council and holds a PhD in Food Security.
A notification issued on Monday to on NCC said “The prime minister has been pleased to appoint federal minister for National Food Security and Research as Chairman of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Agriculture
Transformation Plan with immediate effect.
Further, Mr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Member Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council,
has been appointed as Convener of National Coordination Committee who shall also be responsible, in addition to his duties as convener of NCC, to undertake analysis of food security situation in the
country by utilizing the Food Security Dashboard and present the same before the committee time to time”.
