Principal secretary to PM named as WB executive director

ISLAMABAD: Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Azam Khan has been nominated World Bank executive director through a summary that was quietly approved in February. The tenure of the current director, Naveed Kamran Baloch, expires in November this year and Azam Khan will replace him. Earlier, when these rumours were reported by sections of electronic media, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill had dismissed the reports as ‘fake news.’ However, it now seems that the ‘fake news’ was in fact real, with Gill himself confirming its validity.

It is important to mention that the four-year tenure of a World Bank executive director was changed to three years under the government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. However, when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf came to power, the tenure of the World Bank executive director was further cut short to two years. Many eyebrows were raised when Naveed Kamran Baloch was appointed for only two years. However, now it seems that this brief appointment was part of a larger plan to ensure Azam Khan gets the position after the current term ends.

It is being reported that Khan appointed Asad Hayauddin as secretary for economic affairs, who then nominated Khan as World Bank executive director, likely to take charge later in November.

A summary for the new executive director was supposed to be moved in June for approval in August or September. However, Khan secured the summary in February. Now, Shahbaz Gill has confirmed the news, adding that the new appointment will come into effect in November or December.