Atif Mian, a renowned Pakistani-American economist, took on twitter to announce his resignation from the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) on Friday.
“For the sake of stability of the government of Pakistan, I have resigned from the EAC, as the government was facing a lot of adverse pressure regarding my appointment from the Mullahs and their supporters,” Atif tweeted.
1/ For the sake of the stability of the Government of Pakistan, I have resigned from the Economic Advisory Council, as the Government was facing a lot of adverse pressure regarding my appointment from the Mullahs (Muslim clerics) and their supporters.
— Atif Mian (@AtifRMian) September 7, 2018
Also read: Atif Mian steps down from Economic Advisory Council
Earlier, the government decided to remove the economist from the EAC.
Atif’s appointment had sparked a controversy due to his Ahmadiyya faith and many Muslim clerics and their supporters were demanding his immediate resignation.
“The government wants to move forward together with the Ulema and all social classes. If one nomination creates differences, that’s not appropriate,” Information Minister Fawad Chauhdry tweeted.
حکومت نے فیصلہ کیا ہے کہ عاطف میاں کی اقتصادی مشاورتی کمیٹی سے نامزدگی واپس لے لی جائے،حکومت علماء اور تمام معاشرتی طبقات کو ساتھ لے کر ہی آگے بڑھنا چاہتی ہے اور اگر ایک نامزدگی سے مختلف تاثر پیدا ہوتا ہے تو یہ مناسب نہیں۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 7, 2018
Moreover, another member of the council Asim Ijaz Khawaja resigned from the EAC in protest to the government’s decision to remove Atif from the EAC.
Have resigned from EAC. Painful, deeply sad decision. Grateful for chance to aid analytical reasoning but not when such values compromised. Personally as a Muslim I can't justify this. May Allah forgive/guide me&us all.Ever ready to help.Pakistan Paindabadhttps://t.co/j80LHEhfRK
— Asim Ijaz Khwaja (@aikhwaja) September 7, 2018