MR. ALI TAHIR (Sitara-i-Imtiaz), an officer of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), has a rich and varied experience of working in the public, private and development sectors in a career spanning over thirty two years.

He has been the Federal Secretary of Ministries of Science & Technology, National Food Security, Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit Baltistan, Federal Secretary Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat and Special Secretary in Establishment Division.

For almost four years, Mr. Ali Tahir held the dual charge of Pakistan’s Economic and Trade Minister in Washington D.C. In this diplomatic role, he closely interacted with senior management and technical staff of the Bretton Woods organizations, other IFIs and multilateral organizations, US Government agencies, diplomatic corps, think tanks, lobbyists, businesses and trade bodies. He also chaired International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), an inter-governmental organization of twenty nine countries, for one year.

As Additional Secretary in Finance Division for two years, he dealt with IMF missions, sovereign credit rating agencies, commercial lenders and other development partners at the most challenging juncture of Pakistan’s economic history. He had a pivotal role in securing the critical IMF Standby Agreement in 2023 which retrieved the country from the brink of default. He was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz for this achievement.

Mr. Tahir’s key senior level assignments at the provincial level have included Secretary to Government of the Punjab, in Planning & Development, Finance, Excise & Taxation, Agriculture, Cooperatives, Management and Professional Development departments and also, Additional Chief Secretary. As a PAS officer, he worked as an administrator in initial years of service in far flung subdivisions of Kalat and Mastung in Balochistan, and then in Lahore, the urban heartland of Punjab. He has also worked in the private sector as an entrepreneur before joining service and in the development sector with the Asian Development Bank on deputation from service for a number of years.

Mr. Tahir holds a BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the Oxford University and MA (Economics) from the University of Manchester, UK which he obtained as a Britannia Chevening Scholar. He also contributes to national newspapers from time to time.