Civil servants are the bedrock of any state’s structure, essential to the enforcement of rules, provision of services, and establishment of governance standards. However, Pakistan has struggled to enact meaningful civil service reforms despite repeated commissions formed to address the issue. It is either due to a lack of logical thinking or a deliberate effort to maintain the status quo.
Rather than suggesting constitutional amendments or other complicated changes, we should consider simple and rational ideas. The existing hiring process for civil servants fails to address the labor market matching problem, often placing candidates in specialized services that may be irrelevant to their qualifications. It is illogical to train a generalist for a specialized field, and it is important to conduct exams based on a candidate’s declared field to ensure appropriate specialization.
Those who did not take relevant subjects in college may not develop a love for them for a long time, if at all. As such, specializations should be based on the nature of the field to avoid candidates being placed in areas where they lack interest or expertise. Additionally, bureaucrats are often transferred from one ministry or department to an entirely different one within months, leaving little time to acquire necessary skills and knowledge.
To address this issue, a simple solution could be to increase the length of time required for each posting to ensure adequate learning and mastery of the assigned tasks. It is also essential to conduct regular performance evaluations to identify gaps in knowledge and provide relevant training to fill those gaps.
Another problem is the lack of accountability for civil servants. Those who perform poorly or engage in corrupt activities are seldom held responsible for their actions. This lack of accountability fosters a culture of complacency, leading to widespread inefficiencies and corruption. To address this, we need to establish a transparent performance evaluation system and introduce stringent measures to hold civil servants accountable for their actions.
The use of technology can also greatly improve the efficiency of civil services. The automation of routine tasks can free up time and resources for civil servants to focus on more complex and value-added activities. Additionally, the use of digital platforms can increase transparency and accountability by enabling citizens to track the progress of their requests and complaints.
Furthermore, it is essential to prioritize meritocracy over nepotism in civil service recruitment and promotion. This can be achieved through the establishment of a merit-based system for recruitment, promotion, and training. We must also increase diversity in the civil service to reflect the diverse population of Pakistan.
The importance of civil servants in shaping and enforcing state policies cannot be emphasized enough. They are responsible for implementing rules, delivering essential services and setting governance standards that form the foundation of any functioning state structure. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, despite the formation of numerous commissions tasked with enacting civil services reforms, hardly any substantial recommendations have been implemented.
It begs the question, do we lack the ability to think logically about what needs to be reformed? Or are we simply complacent or deliberately making things complicated to maintain the status quo? While constitutional amendments may not be the solution, there are some simple and rational ideas that can be implemented to bring about much-needed changes.
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Addressing Structural Problems
The current hiring process of civil servants fails to address the labour market matching problem. Candidates are often placed in specialised services that may be entirely unrelated to their qualifications. The logic of training a generalist for a specialised field remains questionable, and it begs the question of what happens if the selected candidate has no interest in the allocated field?
To address this issue, exams should be conducted based on the candidate’s declared group or field, and they should be placed accordingly. Students who do not take economics, commerce, IT and related subjects in college are less likely to develop a love for them, if at all. Therefore, it is crucial to align the specialisation with the candidate’s interest and qualifications.
The Importance of Expertise
Attaining expertise in any field requires profound knowledge, training and experience. We need to consider this from the outset in the career-building process of our bureaucrats. They must receive comprehensive training, including practical experience, before they can be expected to deliver effectively in their respective fields.
Transferring Bureaucrats
Bureaucrats are often transferred from one ministry or department to another within a short period. It raises concerns about how much learning in one field is acquired before they move to another. Building expertise and knowledge requires time and dedication, and short stints in different departments can lead to a lack of expertise in any one area.
Building Trust and Reducing Crime
Studies suggest that building trust rather than asserting authority is a more effective means of reducing crime and grievances. District officers who sit on king-sized chairs on a stage while hearing complaints from area people should reconsider their approach. Sitting with the people at their level and building trust can help reduce crime and grievances more effectively.
Bureaucrats who feel entitled to special treatment and bypass immigration lines at airports are setting a poor example. Such behaviour undermines the trust and confidence that people have in the government and civil service. Bureaucrats should abide by the same laws and regulations as everyone else and lead by example.
Civil servants are the lifeblood of any state structure. They are responsible for enforcing the rules, providing essential services, and setting governance standards. However, in Pakistan, commissions formed to enact civil services reforms have failed to implement meaningful recommendations.
Is it a lack of logical thinking that prevents reform, or do we purposely complicate things to maintain the status quo? We don’t need tedious changes that involve constitutional amendments. Instead, we can implement simple, rational ideas.
Structural Problems: Matching Candidates to Specialized Fields
The current hiring process for civil servants fails to address the labor market matching problem. Candidates may land in specialized services, such as Inland Revenue, Customs, Commerce & Trade, or Audit & Accounts, that are entirely irrelevant to their qualifications. Why train a generalist for a specialized field? What if the selected candidate has no real interest in the allocated field?
Many students who do not take economics, commerce, IT, or related courses in college don’t develop a love for these fields for a long time, if at all. Therefore, the exam should be conducted based on the candidate’s declared group or field and according to the nature of specialization it may entail.
Transferring Bureaucrats From One Ministry to Another
Bureaucrats often get transferred from one ministry or department to an entirely different one within months. One might wonder how much learning in one field is acquired in such a short period before moving on to another.
Expertise in an Area Requires Knowledge, Training, and Experience
To attain expertise in an area, profound knowledge, training, and experience are necessary. Therefore, we need to give serious thought to this from the beginning of bureaucrats’ careers.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Last year, I spoke to an excellent group of undertraining assistant superintendents of police at the National Police Academy in Islamabad. I posed some governance-related questions to tease their curious minds, including: why do police have to beat up the accused in front of their family and community? Why don’t we think about the after-effects of this unruly behavior on the person’s self-esteem?
Many officers feel entitled to special treatment, bypassing immigration lines at airports because other officials help them with their desire for ‘protocol.’ If so, under what law, and whom do they try to impress? Likewise, district officers often choose to sit on king-sized chairs on a stage when they hear complaints from the people. Why don’t they sit with them at their level? Studies suggest that building trust rather than asserting authority reduces crime and grievances more effectively.
Sprawling Official Houses of Bureaucrats
Much has been written about the sprawling official houses of bureaucrats, spread over vast areas and fully maintained with public funds. How do they sleep peacefully in them amidst the abject poverty and inequalities under their noses? Is 10 Downing Street bigger than many of our official abodes in districts and GORs?
It’s been over 75 years since we got independence from British rule. How much more time do we require to change our colonial mindset? Why can’t our bureaucrats live in a one kanal house – official or privately rented – and the state sell off the big sarkari mansions all over the country? That alone will earn trillions of rupees for the exchequer. The proceeds can be used to build an endowment fund that can pay for their children’s education and other special allowances.
The topic at hand is the need for reform in the civil services sector in Pakistan. It is evident that acquiring expertise in a field requires extensive knowledge, training, and experience. Therefore, we must pay heed to this aspect from the onset of our bureaucrats’ careers.
Bureaucratic Houses: Much has been written about the vast and lavish official residences of bureaucrats, maintained using public funds. How do they sleep peacefully in these mansions when there is such rampant poverty and inequality under their very noses? Is 10 Downing Street smaller than many of our official dwellings in districts and GORs? It’s been over 75 years since our independence from British rule. How much longer will we need to rid ourselves of this colonial mindset?
Why can’t our bureaucrats reside in a one kanal house, either official or privately rented, and the state sell off the large sarkari mansions scattered throughout the country? This step alone could bring in trillions of rupees for the exchequer. The revenue could then be invested in an endowment fund that could pay for the education of their children and other special allowances.
Inefficient Governance System: The Ministry of Finance’s data on the ten largest public sector corporations reveals that there is one manager (BS17-22) per 2.26, 2.59, 2.66, 121, and 48 staff (BS1-16) in PIA, OGDC, Pakistan Steel Mills, Utility Stores Corporation, and Pakistan Ordnance Factories, respectively. If this does not astound you, I don’t know what will. Does any private firm hire one manager for every three workers? Why is there one manager for 121 workers in USC? Is that because no officer wants to deal with daal chawal matters? In POF, it is one to 48; perhaps political recruitment is not as simple there.
State-Owned Enterprises: Currently, Pakistan has over 212 state-owned enterprises, including 84 commercial organizations and 83 commercial subsidiaries, all of which suffer from cumulative financial losses amounting to hundreds of billions of rupees each year. Who on earth thought that the government should run commercial enterprises? Who will now clear up this mess? For years, we have failed to privatize the much-talked-about PIA and PSM. One may also wonder why the size of federal ministries, departments, and bureaucracy keeps on growing when, after the 18th Amendment, the essential subjects were delegated to the provinces.
Everyone in our country pays GST and other indirect taxes, which account for the majority of tax revenue, while direct taxes comprise only a small portion of the total tax collection. Therefore, most of the government’s expenditures are financed by the tax receipts of low- and middle-income populations. We have a legal responsibility to serve them to the best of our ability.
The services of government officials are critical for enhancing the income and productivity of private citizens, businesses, and entrepreneurs. If the overall income in the economy grows, so will prosperity and tax revenue. This is not feasible without implementing an efficient, effective, and inclusive governance structure. It is high time that we take civil services reforms seriously.
In conclusion, the reform of civil services is an urgent need for Pakistan’s progress and prosperity. We must create a system that is based on merit, transparency, and accountability to ensure that our civil servants can serve the public in the best possible way. It is high time for the government to take action and implement reforms that will bring about a positive change in the country’s governance structure.
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