CIVIL service all over the world knows how to survive, flourish and guard its territorial jurisdiction even if politicians want a leaner and efficient state machinery to serve the people by saving a few dollars. Unfortunately, the story in Pakistan is no different.

Generally, it was thought that after the 18th Amendment and the latest NFC award, most of the functions of the federal government enshrined in the Concurrent List would be taken over by provinces. It was expected that a large number of civil servants would be transferred to the provincial governments previously working at the federal ministries such as agriculture, food, forest, livestock, education, health, sports, tourism, youth affairs, culture, and women’s development and so on.

But it has not happened so far. Instead, the number of federal divisions now stands at 56, while there is an army of B-21 and B-22 officers occupying dubiously-created positions to safeguard their chances of promotion and perks.

Although the provinces are getting 55 per cent of the federal divisible pool but the outlay on the federal machinery has not been reduced, rather it has increased marginally.

On the other hand, provinces seriously lack professional and institutional capacity to discharge their newly-assumed responsibilities despite availability of additional resources. It has seriously hampered the nation-building activities in the provinces as newly-acquired resources are being wasted on bogus projects, opening doors of corruption.

It is time this rot was arrested by the government. It should immediately order transfer of these babus to the provinces.

It should put a ban on creation and promotion of positions for the well-entrenched lobbies now moving from Lahore to Islamabad. It should undo previous appointments and promotions ordered by the previous government under the ‘national reconciliatory policy’, which has extensively damaged institutions and promoted unbridled and unprecedented corruption in the civil service.

JAVED NIZAM
Lahore