In another bid to improve the government’s image, the federal government on Friday appointed Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera as federal secretary for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting replacing Shoaib Siddiqui.
As per a notification issued by the Establishment Division, Sukhera, a BS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, presently posted as secretary for Privatisation Division/Commission, has been transferred and posted as secretary for Information and Broadcasting Division, with immediate effect and until further orders.
A well-placed source told Pakistan Today that Mr Shoaib Siddiqui had been transferred due to some recent incidents involving the secretary. He said that other than the physical spat with the PNCA director general, State Minister Maryam Aurangzeb was unhappy with what the source called the “personal projection” of the secretary in the media.
Sukhera, a senior grade-22 officer, had been appointed as the secretary of the Privatisation Division on April 8, 2014. He was promoted to Grade-22 on August 5, 2016. Known to be a very talented officer of the Administrative Group, Sukhera joined the Civil Service of Pakistan in 1985 and over the course of his career, has held various secretariat, field and staff assignments.
Before joining the Privatisation Division, he was serving as the chief executive officer of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority of Pakistan (SMEDA). He has held field assignments of deputy commissioner in Faisalabad (1995-96) and Sheikhupura (2000-01) and was district coordination officer in Sheikhupura (2001).
Staff jobs taken up by him include principal secretary to the Punjab governor (2008-11); PSO to Punjab chief minister (1994-95); and the faculty member at the National School of Public Policy (2001-12).
In the Punjab Secretariat, Sukhera has held assignments of secretary (Implementation & Coordination) – 2005-08; additional finance secretary (Budget & Development) – 2003-05; chief of External Capital Assistance (1996-97); besides having been project director of the Technical Education project (1998-99), which was ADB funded project.
He earned his MPA degree from the Harvard University (1994), and the Master of Arts (Development Economics) from the Williams College (1993). He also holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Economics, specialising in the Industry & Trade, from the London School of Economics (1983). Earlier, he completed his schooling at the Aitcheson College, Lahore.
Sukhera has attended executive courses in investment appraisal & management, infrastructure in a market economy, and public-private partnership for infrastructure development at the Harvard University, and budgeting & financial management in public sector at the Duke University.
He has also taught economics at the undergraduate level at the Harvard University (1993-94). His research paper “Kalabagh Dam – contentious issues and ways of reproachment” was published in the National Institute of Public Administration Papers (2004). His master’s thesis at Williams College was on peace dividend and social sector spending – a case study of Pakistan and India.
