WEB DESK
London-based economist Imran Rasul has become the second member of the new Pakistan government’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to resign in protest against the exclusion of noted US-based academic Atif R Mian who was told to step down from the body due to a backlash over his Ahmadi faith.
Succumbing to pressure from the hardliners, the Pakistan government yesterday withdrew the nomination of noted economist Mian, a member of the minority Ahmadi community, from the newly-constituted economic panel.
According to media reports, Rasul quit after another EAC member, Asim Ijaz Khwaja, announced his decision to resign from the advisory council following Mian’s exclusion.
The government’s climbdown came three days after it had defended the academic’s nomination to the EAC led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying in categorical terms that it will not bow to extremists.