Pakistani origin professor appointed UK govt’s chief economist

LONDON: Pakistan-born economist Dr Adnan Qadir Khan has been appointed as Chief Economist for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK government.

According to a statement, the London School of Economics (LSE) School of Public Policy announced in a congratulatory message that their Academic Director and Professor Adnan Khan, currently a professor at the LSE, has been appointed as the chief economist at the FCDO from January 2022.

The LSE said that Dr Adnan Qadir Khan will be missed. Dr Khan has served as LSE’s professor and academic director at the School of Public Policy for several years,"it added.

Originally from Dera Ghazi Khan, Dr Khan studied engineering, philosophy and international affairs from UET and Punjab University.

He has worked in different positions in Pakistan. Dr Khan was recruited to the Pakistan Administrative Service after standing first in the Civil Service Examination in 1995.

The statement further mentioned that he also stood first after completing training at the Civil Services Academy. He has also worked with socially relevant theatre when in Lahore and worked with several organisations working for human rights in Pakistan.

He has been a founding board member of the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP) since 2010.