Grappling with ongoing economic difficulties, Pakistan's government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made a key administrative appointment to strengthen its financial footprint abroad. Maryam Kiyani, a Grade-20 officer belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service, has been selected as the Senior Advisor to the Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington DC. The assignment has been sanctioned on a deputation basis for a tenure of three years, placing an experienced bureaucrat directly into negotiations with international lenders.
Terms of Deputation and Official Notification
According to an official notification released by the Establishment Division of the Government of Pakistan on October 7, 2026, Maryam Kiyani's appointment will take effect from the day she assumes charge and will run for three consecutive years. The rules stipulate that she will stand automatically relieved of her responsibilities once the designated tenure concludes. She replaces Saifullah Dogar, who vacated the post a few months ago after completing his term. While the Prime Minister has finalized her selection, the appointment remains subject to formal clearance and approval from the IMF.
Competitive Screening Across Senior Bureaucrats
A specialized cabinet-level committee constituted by the Prime Minister's Office had conducted a competitive review to pick the final candidate from three shortlisted names. Maryam Kiyani, who has served as Joint Secretary in the Finance Division, was the leading contender from the Pakistan Administrative Service. She was competing against two other Grade-20 officials, namely Moazzam Raza from the Customs Group and Nadeem Ahsan. Following a comprehensive assessment of their professional records and administrative credentials, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved Maryam Kiyani's selection for the international role.
Extensive Administrative Experience and Credentials
Maryam Kiyani brings nearly 18 years of public service experience, with significant focus on public administration, policy design, external finance, and interactions with international financial institutions. Prior to this posting, she held the position of Joint Secretary in the Finance Division and worked within the external finance wing. She was also among the core officials who coordinated Pakistan's crucial 7 billion dollar Extended Fund Facility (EFF) package with the multilateral lender. Her academic and professional background includes an Australia Awards Scholarship at the University of Sydney, a Humphrey Fellowship in the United States, a law degree, and professional certifications including FCA and ACCA.
Operational Responsibilities at the Fund Headquarters
In her new capacity in Washington, Maryam Kiyani will join the Executive Director's office representing an eight-country constituency that includes Pakistan. Her primary day-to-day work will involve assisting the Executive Board across economic evaluations, Article IV consultation papers, and policy-driven framework documentation. She will contribute to reviewing multilateral programs and ensuring that constituency economic perspectives are represented in Fund deliberations.
Scale of Pakistan's Financial Reliance on the IMF
Pakistan's reliance on International Monetary Fund packages has expanded significantly over the past decade. Records show that under the 2013-16 EFF arrangement, Pakistan withdrew roughly 4,393.0 million SDRs. During the pandemic in 2020, it accessed 1,015.5 million SDRs, followed by another 3,038.0 million SDRs under the 2019-23 EFF program. Furthermore, under the Stand-By Arrangement finalized in July 2023, the country utilized the entire allocation of 2,250.0 million SDRs, amounting to approximately 3 billion dollars.
Recent Facilities and Total Outstanding Debt
In September 2024, the Fund approved a fresh Extended Fund Facility of 5,320.0 million SDRs (around 7 billion dollars) for Pakistan, under which 3,040.0 million SDRs had been drawn by May 2026. In addition, an allocation of 1,000.0 million SDRs (roughly 1.4 billion dollars) was approved under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in May 2025 to bolster climate resilience, from which 307.6 million SDRs were drawn by May 2026. Official Fund records show that by May 31, 2026, Pakistan's cumulative withdrawals across programs reached 23,446.145 million SDRs, representing approximately 23.45 billion SDRs rather than 234.46 billion SDRs. As of that same date, Pakistan's outstanding debt owed to the IMF stood at around 8.21 billion SDRs.
