The Planning Commission (denoted as PC) is a financial and public policy development institution of the Government of Pakistan. The Commission comes under the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms. The Planning Commission undertakes research studies and state policy development initiatives for the growth of the national economy and the expansion of the public and state infrastructure of the country in tandem with the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
Since 1952, the commission has had a major influence and role in formulating the highly centralized and planned five-year plans for the national economy, for most of the 20th century in Pakistan. Although the five-year plans were replaced by Medium Term Development Framework, the commission still played an influential and central role in the development of the programme. Furthermore, the Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP) are also placed under the domain of the planning commission. The commission’s authoritative figures include a Chairman who is the Prime Minister, assisted by the deputy chairman, and a science advisor.
