Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Finance and Revenue Dr Waqar Masood resigned on Tuesday over “growing differences with Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin.”
It is learnt that the differences between the two grew over the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
According to Geo TV, Dr Waqar wanted the government to implement the IMF conditions according to its programme, but the finance minister was of the view that Pakistan would not be able to implement these conditions.
The finance minister is in favour of negotiations with the IMF to get some relaxation from the money lender.
It is stated that Dr Waqar was of the view that his recommendations as SAPM on revenue are being ignored. He sent his resignation to the prime minister on Tuesday and “will continue to work in his official capacity until it is accepted.”
Minister Shaukat Tarin, however, was unhappy that Dr Waqar is not taking him into confidence on “important matters”.
Dr Waqar, an eminent economist and former finance secretary, was appointed special assistant on revenue with the status of minister of state by the prime minister in October last year.
He has done a PhD in Economics and a Master’s in Political Economy from Boston University Massachusetts, USA, and a Master’s in Economics as well as an LLB from Karachi University.
He has wide-ranging experience in both the public and private sectors.
Before his appointment to the post, Dr Waqar Masood was assisting the Ministry of Finance in different informal capacities and was then made in-charge of a high-powered committee working to create a targeted subsidies mechanism for different sectors of the national economy.
