Govt cuts tenure of Pak EDs in WB, ADB from 4 to 3 years

ISLAMABAD: In order to adjust cycle with appointment of Executive Director (ED) both into the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), the government has decided to curtail the tenure of Pakistan’s Executive Director (ED) at ADB Shahid Mehmood till June 30, 2021.

The tenure of posting has been reduced from four years to three years to bring it in line with the cycle of elections of Executive Director as the post of ED is determined along with other member of jurisdiction.

In the past, when the EDs of ADB and WB were granted extension of one years, it resulted into creating controversy so the government had decided in principle to reduce the tenure of the EDs both at Manila and Washington to bring it in line with elections cycle for the post of ED into both multilateral institutions.

According to notification issued by Establishment Division stating that in partial modification of this Division’s notification of even number dated 18-01-2018, the tenure of post of Executive Director/ Alternate Executive Director of the Board of Directors of Asian Development Bank Manila, Philippine is reduced till June 30, 2021 instead of four years in respect of Mr. Shahid Mehmood a retired BS-22 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service.

Official sources told The News in background discussions that the tenure of posts of ED/Alternate ED both at WB and ADB were re-adjusted because it collided

with the elections of Executive Director so for complying with four year cycle it was decided in writing that the tenure of both these posts would be adjusted around 2 and half years to 3 years instead of four years.

The WB’s Executive Director post will accomplish its cycle in coming October 2020 along with the annual meeting of WB/IMF so Shahid Tarar will complete its tenure next month.

However, in case of ADB, the tenure of ED post will be completed next year by June 2021.

The sources close to Pakistan’s ED into ADB Shahid Mehmood claimed that it was arrangement finalised at time of appointment and there was no move of the government to reduce the tenure of its posting.

The sources further claimed that Shahid Mehmood was neither interested for extension, so he was willing to return back to original plan within three-year period instead of four years.