Ishaq Dar leads in run for finance minister office

As the new government is set to form, there are some strong contenders for the post of Finance Minister in the upcoming setup to be led by Shahbaz Sharif. However, Ishaq Dar is the most favourite among the contenders for the slot.

Ishaq Dar has been the finance minister many times in the past and at a time when Pakistan is trying to get another package from the IMF to avoid default, Dar is being considered as the top favourite for this important post.

Dr. Shamshad Akhtar also expressed her desire to add her name to this list and she believes that she has the support of the IMF, business community and corporate leadership. Currently, she is making her last efforts for the position.

Another strong candidate is Mohammad Aurangzeb, an experienced banker and the current President of HBL. Mohammad Aurangzeb took over as the President and CEO of HBL on 30 April 2018.

Sultan Ali Allana’s name is also being considered for the post of Finance Minister, while an unexpected candidate Salman Ahmed is also in the race.

Meanwhile,  the International Monetary Fund has expressed its willingness to work with the newly elected government of Pakistan, the statement came hours after PTI said its founder is writing a letter to the Fund to provide further loan only if there’s good governance in the country.

In a media briefing, IMF’s Director Communications Julie Kozack expressed her satisfaction with the caretaker government’s actions regarding economic stability, saying that during the caretaker government, the authorities maintained economic stability, to control inflation, increase foreign exchange and followed a tight monetary policy.