In a dramatic move, the federal government has removed Younus Dagha as secretary finance and directed him to report to Establishment Division. A separate notification issued by the Establishment Division stated that Cabinet Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch has been appointed as the new secretary finance while Maroof Afzal, who is currently posted as secretary of the Information Technology and Telecommunication Division, has been appointed as the new cabinet secretary.

Sources said that Dagha had developed differences with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh, during negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It has also emerged that Sheikh did not consult Dagha, who was also part of the Pakistani delegation during the recent IMF talks.

Dagha took charge as finance secretary in March after the post fell vacant following the retirement of Arif Ahmed Khan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019