Shehbaz Sharif leads SIFC meeting; Gandapur's absence sparks controversy

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has organized a meeting of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a significant investment body supported by the Pakistan Army. The 10th apex-committee meeting is set to occur on Saturday at 11:45 am at the Prime Minister's residence in Islamabad. The meeting will be attended by key officials including Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, and Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. Moreover, the participation of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti is expected at this high-level gathering.

However, the absence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur from the guest list has raised eyebrows. Gandapur, a prominent opposition figure to the federal government coalition, was not invited to the meeting. In response to this exclusion, a spokesperson for the KP government, Barrister Saif, criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz's decision, labeling it as a display of 'extreme prejudice' against the PTI's provincial setup.

The upcoming Special Investment Facilitation Council meeting led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is poised to address crucial investment matters with the involvement of key government officials. However, the absence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has sparked controversy, highlighting underlying political tensions. The outcome of this meeting and its impact on investment facilitation in Pakistan will be closely monitored.