Islamabad, Pakistan (BBN)- Pakistan’s Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Tuesday tendered his resignation from his office to focus on his personal business interests.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has already accepted the resignation of Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin which he tendered on personal grounds.
Mr. Gilani formally accepted the resignation of Mr. Tarin after holding a meeting with him, according to an official press statement.
Mr. Tarin, a former international banker, will continue to stay in office till Feb.28 this year, according to reports.
Mr. Tarin said he resigned a minister to concentrate on personal business interests. It was not possible for him to give time to his private business while being a finance minister.
The prime minister said in order to ensure continuity of policies, the government would like to acquire the services of Mr. Tarin in the national economic advisory council.
Mr. Tarin was appointed advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs in October 2008 and later sworn in as finance minister.
No replacement for Mr. Tarin was immediately announced but three names are in the pipeline to replace him, including Ishrat Hussain, a former World Bank official who served six years as Pakistan’s state bank governor, Hafeez Pasha, a former commerce minister who worked for the United Nations Development Program, and Nasim Beg, a Karachi-based investment banker.
BBN/SS/SI/AD-24February10-1:51 am (BST)
