ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday appointed Zafar Abdullah as acting chairman of the Securities and Ex­change Commission of Pakis­tan (SECP) for a period of three months, said a notification.

Commissioner Abdullah was given the task of running the organisation being the most senior member of the SECP in accordance with rules after the arrest of its chairman Zafar Hijazi for tampering with records in the Panama Papers case.

On Saturday, the finance ministry sent a summary to the Prime Minister Office for appoint­ment of an acting SECP chairman after getting approval from the Ministry of Law and Justice.

As per the law, Mr Hijazi was suspended from office as appointment of a successor was not possible otherwise.

According to the SECP, Mr Abdullah was overseeing functions of the specialised companies division and information system and technology department.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Karachi and is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan.

Earlier, he served the SECP as executive director of the securities market division, as chief of operations at the Karachi Stock Exchange and head of operations at the Central Depository Company.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2017