In surprising move, govt replaces secretary finance two weeks before budget
Changes in bureaucratic structure were expected after Shaukat Tarin's appointment as foreign minister but not before budget, say...
- Govt makes key changes in bureaucracy ahead of budget.
- Kamran Fazal relived from duties as secretary finance and appointed secretary industries instead.
- BS-22 officer Yousaf Khan appointed as secretary in-charge of the finance division.
ISLAMABAD: In a surprising move, the government has replaced Secretary Finance Kamran Ali Fazal and appointed a BS-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) in his stead, on Thursday.
The development has taken place with just two weeks left in the upcoming budget. The government has appointed Yousaf Khan as the Secretary In-charge with immediate effect after relieving Fazal from his duty.
The move comes as a surprise, with many anticipating a change in bureaucratic positions but not before the budget was announced. The federal budget is scheduled to be announced on June 11.
After key changes that included the appointment of Shaukat Tarin as Minister for Finance and Dr Waqar Masood as SAPM on Finance and Revenue, it was expected that some bureaucratic changes were on the cards. However, it was assumed that these changes would be implemented after the budget. Yet, the government preferred to go ahead with them just days before the upcoming budget.
Afzal was replaced as secretary finance and appointed as secretary industries. Dr Muhammad Sohail Rajput, a Grade-22 officer of PAS, was posted replaced as the secretary industries and appointed as secretary information technology and telecommunication division.
Shoaib Siddiqi, a BS-22 officer of PAS, was posted out as secretary IT and telecommunication division and directed to report to the establishment division.