ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: President Asif Zardari on Monday asked the economic team led by advisor on finance to steer the country out of the economic crisis.

The direction came from the president during a meeting with the newly appointed Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Saleem Raza. Finance Adviser Shaukat Tarin and Secretary Finance Waqar Masood were also present during the meeting.

An official statement issued after the meeting said the president enquired about the short-term and long-term impact of the measures taken by the government and the SBP for macroeconomic stability and infrastructure development.

The president felicitated Mr Raza for assuming charge of his new responsibilities as governor SBP. The governor SBP thanked the president for reposing trust in him.

Saleem Raza took over as governor of the central bank last week after the retirement of Ms Shamshad Akhtar.