Finance secretary transferred ahead of budget

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday transferred Finance Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh ahead of the upcoming budget for 2023-24, directing him to report to the Establishment Division. 

According to another notification issued by the government, Imdadullah Bosal, a BS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) has been posted as Secretary Finance Division.

Top official sources said that Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, a BS-22 officer of the PAS had requested the government in writing for granting him leave but the government was reluctant to grant him the leave ahead of the upcoming budget for 2023-24, which was expected to be unveiled on June 9, 2023.

He had requested the government to relieve him mainly because of three reasons as he had to attend a graduation ceremony of one of his children abroad in a few days. Secondly, he was suffering from back pain due to prolonged sittings during office hours and thirdly, it is also possible that he might join the FCDO-funded project on a lucrative package but it is not confirmed yet.

Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh offered his services at a very critical time when the country was struggling to fulfill the IMF’s conditions in order to restore the Fund-sponsored programme.

He had served during the tenure of both the PTI and PDM-led regimes in the last few years and made utmost efforts to keep the IMF programme afloat at a time when the IMF was very tough.

He had sternly opposed the government’s move when the half-baked cross-fuel subsidy plan was announced without taking the IMF into confidence. However, his efforts remained futile as the IMF did not so far revive the stalled programme despite the all-out efforts of the Islamabad authorities in the last several months.