Ministries, divisions ordered to replace ‘Federal Govt' term in relevant laws, rules
ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Division has instructed all ministries and divisions to expedite the long-pending process of replacing the term 'Federal Government' with the appropriate designations in relevant laws and rules — a directive first issued in 2017 and pending since 2022, official sources told Business Recorder.
In a letter addressed to all Secretaries and Additional Secretaries in-charge, Secretary Cabinet Kamran Ali Afzal reminded ministries that the Federal Cabinet, in its decision dated November 8, 2017, had directed the amendment of laws and rules under their purview to replace the term 'Federal Government' with more precise authorities, in consultation with the Law and Justice Division.
Subsequently, on April 26, 2023, the Cabinet approved detailed guidelines for the implementation of this directive. These guidelines were circulated by the Law and Justice Division to all relevant departments. Further, during the Secretaries' Committee meeting held on October 12, 2023, the Law and Justice Division shared the standardized format for initiating and recording such amendments.
Replacing words 'federal govt' with appropriate authority: PM asks ministries, divisions to take action at their own level
Despite these developments, the Ministry of Law and Justice has reported that several Ministries and Divisions have yet to complete the required revisions. As a result, routine and non-strategic matters continue to be presented before the Federal Cabinet—diverting attention from more critical national issues.
Secretary Cabinet has now urged all Ministries to thoroughly review the laws and rules within their administrative control and complete the amendment process where necessary, in compliance with Cabinet decisions of November 8, 2022, and April 26, 2023. Ministries are also required to keep the Cabinet Division informed of their progress.
In November 2023, the Secretaries' Committee, chaired by the Secretary Cabinet, directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to issue clear guidelines and a standardized proforma for gathering the required information. This was to help determine the most appropriate level of authority—be it the Federal Cabinet, the Prime Minister, the Federal Minister-in-Charge, the Secretary, or the Additional Secretary—to replace the term 'Federal Government' in each context.
The Secretary of Law and Justice clarified that this exercise stems from the Supreme Court's judgment in the Mustafa Impex case, which emphasized the need for specificity in legal and regulatory language. The Federal Cabinet subsequently directed all Ministries and Divisions to initiate the necessary amendments in their respective Acts, Rules, Regulations, and By-Laws.
He explained that the underlying objective is to prevent the Federal Cabinet from being overburdened with routine matters that could be handled at lower administrative levels. Although Ministries and Divisions were originally instructed to complete this process within one month, progress has remained sluggish.
Of approximately 900 legal instruments, amendments to about 300 have either been completed or are currently in process. The Federal Cabinet had also referred the matter to the Secretaries' Committee in its meeting on October 18, 2022, to ensure a more uniform, organized, and expedited approach to implementing the changes.
A comprehensive policy summary was submitted on April 4, 2023, after which policy guidelines were issued. The Secretary Law emphasized that amendments should prioritize the delegation of routine and non-critical matters away from the Cabinet.
According to sources, this issue was first raised during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. Successive elected and caretaker governments have since discussed the matter and issued directives, but the issue remains unresolved to this day.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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Ministries, divisions ordered to replace ‘Federal Govt' term in relevant laws, rules
ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Division has instructed all ministries and divisions to expedite the long-pending process of replacing the term 'Federal Government' with the appropriate designations in relevant laws and rules — a directive first issued in 2017 and pending since 2022, official sources told Business Recorder. In a letter addressed to all Secretaries and Additional Secretaries in-charge, Secretary Cabinet Kamran Ali Afzal reminded ministries that the Federal Cabinet, in its decision dated November 8, 2017, had directed the amendment of laws and rules under their purview to replace the term 'Federal Government' with more precise authorities, in consultation with the Law and Justice Division. Subsequently, on April 26, 2023, the Cabinet approved detailed guidelines for the implementation of this directive. These guidelines were circulated by the Law and Justice Division to all relevant departments. Further, during the Secretaries' Committee meeting held on October 12, 2023, the Law and Justice Division shared the standardized format for initiating and recording such amendments. Replacing words 'federal govt' with appropriate authority: PM asks ministries, divisions to take action at their own level Despite these developments, the Ministry of Law and Justice has reported that several Ministries and Divisions have yet to complete the required revisions. As a result, routine and non-strategic matters continue to be presented before the Federal Cabinet—diverting attention from more critical national issues. Secretary Cabinet has now urged all Ministries to thoroughly review the laws and rules within their administrative control and complete the amendment process where necessary, in compliance with Cabinet decisions of November 8, 2022, and April 26, 2023. Ministries are also required to keep the Cabinet Division informed of their progress. In November 2023, the Secretaries' Committee, chaired by the Secretary Cabinet, directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to issue clear guidelines and a standardized proforma for gathering the required information. This was to help determine the most appropriate level of authority—be it the Federal Cabinet, the Prime Minister, the Federal Minister-in-Charge, the Secretary, or the Additional Secretary—to replace the term 'Federal Government' in each context. The Secretary of Law and Justice clarified that this exercise stems from the Supreme Court's judgment in the Mustafa Impex case, which emphasized the need for specificity in legal and regulatory language. The Federal Cabinet subsequently directed all Ministries and Divisions to initiate the necessary amendments in their respective Acts, Rules, Regulations, and By-Laws. He explained that the underlying objective is to prevent the Federal Cabinet from being overburdened with routine matters that could be handled at lower administrative levels. Although Ministries and Divisions were originally instructed to complete this process within one month, progress has remained sluggish. Of approximately 900 legal instruments, amendments to about 300 have either been completed or are currently in process. The Federal Cabinet had also referred the matter to the Secretaries' Committee in its meeting on October 18, 2022, to ensure a more uniform, organized, and expedited approach to implementing the changes. A comprehensive policy summary was submitted on April 4, 2023, after which policy guidelines were issued. The Secretary Law emphasized that amendments should prioritize the delegation of routine and non-critical matters away from the Cabinet. According to sources, this issue was first raised during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. Successive elected and caretaker governments have since discussed the matter and issued directives, but the issue remains unresolved to this day. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
