Dr Kazim selected as Pakistan’s executive director at WB

ISLAMABAD: Dr. Kazim Niaz, Federal Secretary for Economic Affairs, has been selected as Pakistan’s Executive Director (ED) at the World Bank in Washington, according to reliable sources.

The sources said Tuesday Dr. Niaz has been notified of the decision. The position became vacant earlier this year following the resignation of Dr. Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, who stepped down at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to serve in the Pakistani government. Dr. Shah, appointed in November 2023 for a four-year term as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, chose to resign late last year. Renowned for his competence and integrity, Dr. Shah now serves as Advisor to the Prime Minister, overseeing operations at the Prime Minister’s House.

Dr. Kazim Niaz, a BPS-22 officer, previously held the position of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary from October 2019 to November 2021 and also served as Gilgit Baltistan Chief Secretary. He is actively involved with the Sabawoon Volunteers Association, a welfare organization providing free education to underprivileged children in Pakistan. Hailing from the Rajar area of Charsadda district, Dr. Niaz is the son of the late Prof. Jahanzeb Niaz, a prominent figure in Pashto literature as an author and researcher, who passed away in 2015.

The World Bank executive director role comes with a substantial tax-free compensation package of approximately $272,980 annually. Sources indicate that the formal notification of Dr. Niaz’s appointment is expected to be issued after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returns from China.