Chief economist assigned new role in finance ministry

ISLAMABAD: A new controversy is brewing within ministries with the latest notification whereby Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, who currently holds the portfolio of Chief Economist, is transferred and appointed as Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance with up-gradation of the post.

Interestingly, this upgradation of the post of the Economic Advisor will remain specific to him only. Till recently, the post of the Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance, belonged to a grade 21 officer of the Economist Group. With effect from the latest notification issued with the approval of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the post of Economic Advisor has been upgraded to a grade 22 officer. This followed the moving of a summary by the Ministry of Finance to the premier for up-gradation of the post of the Economic Advisor.

According to an official notification issued by Cabinet Division stating that with the approval of Prime Minister, Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, a BS-22 Officer of Economist and Planners Group, presently posted as Chief Economist, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Division, is transferred and posted as Economic Advisor, Finance Division, by upgrading the post, personal to him, with immediate effect and until further orders.

However, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday told the journalists in a media briefing that the Planning Ministry was moving a summary to retain Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed on his existing position as Chief Economist. It’s unusual that the Ministry of Finance moved the summary to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif without taking the Planning Ministry into confidence.

Earlier on April 16, 2025, the Ministry of Finance issued a notification stating that in pursuance of M/o Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Notification’s No.2(2)EG/HRM-II/PD/2000, dated 03.04.2025, Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, a BS-21 officer of Economists Group, has recently been promoted to BS-22. The officer has relinquished the charge of the post of Economic Adviser (BS-21) in Finance Division w.e.f. 03.04.2025. At that time, Dr. Hassan Mohsin, a grade 21 officer of Economist Group was appointed as Economic Advisor in Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning issued a notification to this effect.

Now an awkward situation has emerged and a new summary is being moved to the premier to find out an amicable solution to this brewing up controversy, concluded the sources.