ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has asked the Finance Ministry to terminate State Bank of Pakistan Deputy Governor Ashraf Wathra within 24 hours.
The ‘ultimatum’ came after the Finance Ministry expressed inability to remove Wathra, maintaining that the SBP, being an autonomous body, did not fall under the administrative purview of the ministry.Last week, the ECP had written a letter to the finance ministry, expressing reservations over the appointment of Ashraf Wathra as SBP deputy governor due to his reported association with a political party.
The letter had asked the ministry to have Wathra removed from the said slot against the backdrop of reports that he was appointed by the former federal government to use his position in a bid to influence the elections.In response, the ministry conveyed its ‘regrets’ to show compliance with the electoral body’s demand. – TheNation
