Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani on Thursday appointed a leading economist as his finance
adviser following the resignation last month of the finance
minister, the government said.
Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, a former senator, is the author
of several publications and previously served as federal
privatisation minister and as a minister for finance, planning
and development in the southern province of Sindh.
"He is an economist of international repute with over
30 years of experience in economic policy making, management
and implementation," the government said in a statement.
He has also worked in the World Bank as a country head
for Saudi Arabia and as a senior official advising 21
countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.
Former finance minister Shaukat Tarin resigned in
February, saying he wanted to concentrate on his private
banking career and to avoid conflict of interest.
Tarin was heavily involved in negotiations that led to
an International Monetary Fund loan of USD 1.2 billion for
Pakistan, where Islamist militancy, soaring inflation and a
power crisis have choked the economy.
Pakistan approached the IMF in 2008 for a rescue
package as it grappled with a 30-year inflation high and
fast-depleting reserves that were barely enough to cover nine
weeks of import bills.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 20:30