Azad Kashmir Appoints Its First Female Chief Economist, Making History

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has appointed its first woman chief economist in the Planning and Development Department, with Mahnaz Faheem promoted from BS-19 to BS-20. The appointment, approved by Selection Board-I chaired by the chief secretary, marks a historic step in women’s representation in senior economic policy roles in the region.

Mahnaz Faheem joined the AJK civil service in 1997 as a planning officer after earning an MBA from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. She later completed a master’s in gender and development from the University of Sussex in the UK and was among the first two Chevening scholars from AJK. She also holds a gold medal in BSc with double mathematics and physics from the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and contributed to two UNDP-funded projects following the 2005 AJK earthquake.

Previously serving as chief of section in the P&D Department, Faheem said she considers the appointment both an honor and a responsibility. She emphasized the importance of women’s participation in senior policy-making roles and pledged to focus on evidence-based, fair, and gender-sensitive economic planning to drive balanced development and meaningful results in AJK.