Pakistan picks secy finance for World Bank post
Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the posting of Finance Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch for the position of executive director (ED) in World Bank (WB), negating the common perception that Azam Khan would assume this crucial role.
An official confirmed that the PM has granted approval of Baloch's appointment for the ED WB position for a period of four years and he would be leaving the country for Washington on October 31, 2020, replacing Shahid Ashraf Tarar.
The Economic Affairs Division had proposed four names for this position which included Secretary to Prime Minister Azam
Khan, Finance Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch, Establishment Division Secretary Dr Ijaz Munir and former finance secretary Tariq Bajwa.
Sources close to the development said that three candidates Special Secretary Finance Mohsin Chandna, Cabinet Division Secretary Ahmed Nawaz Sukehara and Secretary EAD Noor Ahmed - are now being considered for the vacant post of finance secretary, as Baloch would leave for Washington.
Mohsin Chandna not only served as the ED International Monetary Fund (IMF) but Hafeez Sheikh also appointed him for the SFS position due to which he is being considered as the favourite to fill the vacancy.
Meanwhile, Ahmed Nawaz Sukehra is presently serving as cabinet secretary and he is also very close to decision makers of the incumbent regime.
It is pertinent to mention that IMF team is scheduled to visit Pakistan later this month and sources have mentioned that Pakistan will update the team about the targets pertaining to State Bank of Pakistan's autonomy, power sector, loss-making entities and reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue.