ISLAMABAD: A day after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government made Atif R Mian resign from the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) after pressure from religiopolitical circles, council member Imran Rasul has quit in protest.
Rasul announced that he was parting ways with the council via his Twitter account saying that the basis on which Mian was asked to step down goes against his principles.
“With a heavy heart, I have resigned from the EAC this morning. The circumstances in which Atif was asked to step down are ones I profoundly disagree with. Basing decisions on religious affiliation goes against my principles, or the values I am trying to teach my children.”
With a heavy heart, I have resigned from the EAC this morning. The circumstances in which Atif was asked to step down are ones I profoundly disagree with. Basing decisions on religious affiliation goes against my principles, or the values I am trying to teach my children. (1/5)
— Imran Rasul (@ImranRasul3) September 8, 2018
Lauding Mian’s expertise, Rasul said that if there was one academic on the EAC that the country needed, it was Atif. “Resolving the macro and fiscal mess the country is in will lay the bedrock for social protection, poverty alleviation policies and other economic reforms the country also needs.”
Also read: Atif Mian resigned as ‘govt was facing adverse pressure from Mullahs’
Earlier on Friday, another widely-respected economist, Asim Khwaja, also voluntarily resigned from the 11-member council which is now left with just eight members.
