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Business Recorder
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
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
Express Tribune
16-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
40,000 posts being axed to save Rs36 billion
Listen to article The Cabinet Division on Wednesday disclosed that the drive to reduce government expenditures by abolishing posts would save Rs36 billion annually and one-fifth of the savings were ensured by cutting the lowest pay grade-1 posts of gardeners, sweepers and peons. The Cabinet Division, for the first time, shared pay scale-wise details of nearly 40,000 positions that had been abolished or declared as dying posts with the Senate Standing Committee on Finance. PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwalla chaired the meeting. A majority of these positions were already vacant and it would not have any immediate impact on the people already serving. However, there will not be new hiring on these positions and the contracts of the existing daily-wagers will not be further extended. Cabinet Secretary Dr Kamran Ali Afzal admitted that the recent cabinet expansion dented the symbolic value of reducing the expenses but said that in monetary terms the impact was minuscule. Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal commented on the implications of decisions of finance ministers for the economy over the past two decades. The Cabinet Division informed the committee about the government's rightsizing initiative. The cabinet secretary said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had instructed the reduction in the size of the federal government to improve efficiency and prioritise core responsibilities. He said that institutional reforms had also been initiated as part of the directive. The joint cabinet secretary shared scale-wise details of 39,896 posts in the public sector, which were abolished or declared as dying. Of these, 11,558 positions, which were either abolished or declared as dying, belonged to the lowest pay scale-1. It was equal to 29% of the positions being abolished. The average salary of pay scale-1 is Rs42,888 and peons, gardeners and sweepers are recruited in this scale. The committee was informed that the abolition of nearly 40,000 positions would save Rs36.3 billion annually. However, 19% or Rs7 billion in savings were against the lowest pay scale-1. Compared to grade-1, only two positions from the highest pay scale-22 with monthly average salary of Rs769,319 had been abolished, the committee was informed. The scrapping of two positions of grade-22 will annually save Rs20.8 million, or 0.05% of the total savings. The decision to end those positions had been taken by the government in August last year and the information was updated till February 18. Due to political reasons, successive governments have been inducting people in the public sector, mostly in low pay scales. The government has so far abolished only two positions of grade-21, which is the second highest grade, which will save Rs18 million. In scale-2, the second lowest pay scale, about 3,400 positions have been abolished to save Rs2 billion. From grade-1 to 16, a total of 38,692 positions have been abolished that will save Rs31 billion, or 86% of the total savings. Senator Sherry Rehman of PPP expressed concern over the government's approach to reforms. PM Sharif last month more than doubled the size of his cabinet. "On the one hand, the government talks about cutting costs, while on the other hand, it has doubled the size of the federal cabinet," she stated. The devolution logic had been offset by doubling the size of the cabinet, said Rehman. The appointment of a new minister results in a minuscule increase in operational expenditures, "but I concede that there is a symbolic value that is affected," said Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal. He stated that the induction of new ministers was expected to enhance the overall performance of ministries, in line with the broader agenda of institutional reforms. He pointed out that one minister was heading more than one department, which was affecting the efficiency and required expansion. "The primary goal is for the federal government to focus on its essential functions, while transferring additional responsibilities to provinces," explained the cabinet secretary. Committee members objected to retaining the ministries such as health and education, which were provincial subjects under the constitution. However, the rightsizing committee has recommended the closure of many departments of such ministries. Senator Mohsin Aziz spoke about the quality of federal secretaries heading various technical ministries.
