Ex-SBP governor Dr Shamshad Akhtar passes away

Web Desk: Renowned economist and former State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor Dr Shamshad Akhtar, 71, passed away due to cardiac arrest on Saturday.

She was serving as chairperson of the Pakistan Stock Exchange at the time of her death, giving her a rare role spanning Pakistan’s monetary policy, fiscal management and capital markets.

Akhtar, known for her leadership roles in both national and international financial institutions, took over as the 14th governor of the SBP on January 2, 2006, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

She had also been the finance minister in the caretaker setups before the 2018 and 2024 general elections.

Akhtar also served as the vice president of the World Bank for the Middle East and North Africa and the executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).