Many names under consideration for finance secretary’s post

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is all set to take an important decision whether to appoint new finance secretary or grant extension to incumbent Secretary Shahid Mehmood for a few months up to June 2018.

Different names of top bureaucrats are under consideration for appointment of federal secretary finance as the incumbent Secretary Shahid Mehmood is going to retire from service on January 5, 2018 after reaching the age of superannuation, The News has learnt.

Contenders for this important slot are top and senior bureaucrats including Younas Dagha, Arif Ahmed Khan, Yousaf Naseem Kokhar and Tariq Pasha. However, some circles say that extension of the incumbent secretary finance cannot be ruled out because the government wants to achieve smooth sailing at the end of its tenure. If Shahid Mehmood has not been granted extension then he will be considered for the position of senior adviser to executive director into the IMF again after his retirement.

Although, Fawad Hassan Fawad, Principle Secretary to the PM, is also being considered for post of the IMF. If the government decided to appoint new secretary finance then there are three to four major contenders for the position of adviser to the executive director into the IMF.

“A formal summary has been moved to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and it is expected that one of the top officers most probably belonging to the DMG will be appointed on this slot,” official sources told The News.

Younas Dagha, who is currently serving as secretary commerce, might replace the incumbent secretary finance in case the premier decides to make fresh appointment on this key position. Younas Dagha had served as secretary water and power and at other important positions during his career.

Although, the name of Tariq Pasha is also under consideration but he might not be transferred from the chairman FBR now. Shahid Mahmood, an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, joined the Civil Service of Pakistan in 1984 and he held various positions including field assignments such as deputy commissioner Sialkot (1998-2000) and chief commissioner Islamabad (2009-10), director general Lahore Development Authority (2008-09) and commercial counsellor Embassy of Pakistan, Beijing, China (2002-06).

The Staff jobs held by him include; principal secretary to the chief minister, Punjab (2013), additional secretary (external finance)/special assistant to finance minister (2013-15). He was special secretary finance and held additional charge of secretary privatisation before being assigned responsibilities as secretary finance. He also remained senior adviser to the executive director in the IMF, Washington DC, representing Pakistan on the IMF Executive Board and chief negotiator for Pakistan in the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).