Tributes paid to late Saeed Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Speakers here at a condolence reference have paid tributes to late ex-secretary general Finance and deputy chairman, Planning Commission Saeed Ahmed Qureshi for his meritorious services rendered on different positions in public sector departments throughout his career, spanning over 37 years.

They highlighted different aspects of the deceased’s life and achievements which made him prominent among civil servants.

The reference was organised by the Secretary Pakistan Economic Forum (PEF) Dr Ather Ahmed the other day and attended by members of the forum including former finance minister Sartaj Aziz, ex-secretary Finance Dr Waqar Masood Khan, ex-secretary Petroleum Muhammad Abdullah Yusuf and ex-director General Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) M Aftab Saeed Ahmed Qureshi, who was a distinguished civil servant and respected social personality, passed away in Islamabad on March 9, 2019 due to cardiac arrest. He had retired as Secretary General Finance and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission in 1994. At the time of his sudden demise, Saeed Qureshi was serving as a member of the Academic Council of the Institute of Policy Studies, Trustee of Al-Shifa Eye Hospital, President PEF and Chairman Board of Directors of the Social Policy Development Centre.

He was the author of several books, research articles and papers. His last book ‘Governance Deficit’ published in 2017 is a diligent case study of Pakistan; an outcome of his long experience and close observation of governance issues within and outside the government.

It is a comprehensive, in-depth and data-based treatise, delineating critical areas of governance in Pakistan such as declining state autonomy, shrinking governance space and service delivery failures.

While, late Saeed Ahmed Qureshi had written his first book titled ‘How to Read Balance Sheets’ in mid-sixties when he was Director Finance in Fauji Foundation.