ISLAMABAD: Muhammad Sami Saeed, a retired bureaucrat on Friday assumed charge as the caretaker Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, marking a significant development in the country’s economic landscape.

The caretaker federal minister has extensive experience in planning, development and economic affairs. On his arrival at the ministry, he was warmly welcomed by the Secretary Planning Ministry, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, and senior officials of the ministry.

Later, the minister chaired a meeting in which he was given a detailed briefing by the secretary Planning Ministry about the functioning and responsibilities of the ministry and ongoing development and strategic initiatives of the ministry, particularly, the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), Annual Plan, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and SIFC.

While chairing the meeting, the minister said that all officers of the ministry should work for the development of the country with full dedication and hard work.

The minister said that the implementation of public welfare projects should be ensured while special attention should be paid to the quality of the projects.

Highlighting the importance of education, the minister said that more attention should be given to increasing the quality of education in the country. Muhammad Sami Saeed, joined the Civil Service of Pakistan (District Management G roup/Pakistan Administra tive Service) in 1980 and held important positions in government and international organizations.

He was Executive Director on the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Cabinet Secretary to the Government of Pakistan and principal staff officer to the prime minister. He served in Punjab as Chairman Planning and Development Board, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary of Agriculture and Excise and Taxation Departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023