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Shamshad Akhtar, Pakistan’s First Female Central Bank Governor, Dies at 71

Her career ranged from central banking to fiscal stewardship to capital‑market oversight, a rare breadth in Pakistan.

Overview

  • The Ministry of Finance confirmed her death on Saturday at the age of 71.
  • Local media reported a cardiac arrest as the cause of death.
  • She was serving as chairperson of the Pakistan Stock Exchange at the time of her passing.
  • She led the State Bank of Pakistan from 2006 to 2009 and later served twice as caretaker finance minister ahead of the 2018 and 2024 elections.
  • President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, PSX, and the State Bank issued tributes, with SBP releasing an official condolence message on Sunday.