SAPM Dr Waqar Masood resigns due to differences with Shaukat Tarin: sources

• Waqar Masood wants Pakistan to implement IMF conditions, Tarin disagrees. 
• Tarin is in favour of negotiating with IMF, considers existing conditions too harsh. 
• Masood says his recommendations on important matters are being ignored. 

ISLAMABAD: SAPM on Finance and Revenue Dr Waqar Masood resigned on Tuesday over growing differences with Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, sources told Geo News.

The differences between the two grew over the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, as per sources.

While Masood wanted the government to implement the IMF conditions as per the money lender's programme, the finance minister, on the other hand, was of the view that Pakistan will not be able to implement these conditions.

Tarin, sources said, is in favour of negotiations with the IMF to obtain some relaxation from the money lender.

Sources said Masood, dejected by the difference, is of the view that his recommendations as special assistant on revenue are being ignored. He sent his resignation to the prime minister Tuesday, and until it is accepted, will continue to work in his official capacity.

Tarin has alleged that Masood is not taking him into confidence on important matters concerning finance.

So far, neither of the two have publicly spoken about the resignation.

Masood, an eminent economist and former secretary finance, was appointed special assistant on revenue with the status of minister of state by the prime minister in October last year.

Dr Masood has a PhD in Economics and a Master's degree in Political Economy from Boston University Massachusetts, USA, and a Master's degree in Economics as well as an LLB from Karachi University.

Masood has wide-ranging experience in both the public and private sectors.

Before his appointment to the post, Dr Waqar Masood was assisting the Ministry of Finance in different informal capacities and was then made in-charge of a high-powered committee working to create a targeted subsidies mechanism for different sectors of the national economy.