Context
Pakistan’s chief economist, Dr. Jaffer Qamar, has stepped down less than one year after being appointed and just days after governor of the central bank, Shahid Kardar, resigned. Qamar reportedly called it quits Wednesday to go back to the US and head technical consultants at the Asian Development Bank. However, sources claim he was disappointed over government’s intrusion in his efforts to secure independence in devising policies at the Planning Commission. His exit may further impede talks with the IMF for restoration of a US$11.3bn loan package, which was put on hold last year due to government’s failure to adopt fiscal reforms.
