ISLAMABAD: Serving bureaucrats may soon find that their days of working ‘freelance’ are numbered as the Senate seeks to amend the Civil Servant Act, 1973, to prevent public office holders from working independently with international organisations and foreign donor agencies.

Titled ‘Civil Servants (Amendment) Act, 2013’, the bill was introduced in the Senate in January and was passed in March. Opposition members are now lobbying to have the bill adopted by the National Assembly either during the current session or in the budget session.

The bill seeks to end a practice observed among many top bureaucrats, who extend their services to some non-government organisations (NGOs) or foreign agencies in violation of government rules and the ethics of public office, sources in the Establishment Division told Dawn.

The private member’s bill was moved in the Senate by Syeda Sughra Imam and passed unanimously.

Ms Imam believes that she was taking up a ‘national cause’. “I hope the government will support us and also pass the bill in the National Assembly,” she told Dawn.

The bill passed by the Senate asks for the insertion of section 10A in Civil Servant Act, 1973, entitled ‘Restriction on Service in International Organisation’, which reads: “A civil servant shall not serve an international organisation, international non-governmental organisation, international financial institution or foreign donor agency during his service: Provided that the aforesaid restriction shall not apply to the civil servants who are posted or deputed in international organisations on behalf of the country.”

She said an officer in the service of Pakistan must have undivided loyalty to the state. “Therefore, when a civil servant takes a leave of absence from his official duties and starts working for international organisations while continuing to hold public office, it is tantamount to conflict of interest,” she added.

In the bill’s ‘Statement of Objects and Reasons’, Ms Imam argues that such individuals can “misuse (their) concurrent government position to influence policies and negotiate agreements with the government of Pakistan in favour of international partners and organisations rather than the state of Pakistan.”

“This bill seeks to ensure that this practice of ‘outsourcing’ civil servants to international organisations ceases and they serve the state of Pakistan only in their official capacity,” it reads.

Sources told Dawn that there were several serving and retired government officials who have been working with foreign donor agencies or international organisations and drawing lucrative salaries, all without the permission of the Establishment Division, in violation of service rules.

Certain government officials maintain offshore bank accounts, where their hefty salaries can be deposited directly to evade government taxes.

In addition, the sources said, such officers would misrepresent their status to the new employer, be it a donor agency or an NGO, by providing forged documentation or inaccurate information to convince their employers that they had the necessary permission from their parent departments and the Establishment Division to serve with another organisation.

A senior Establishment Division official said that the issue was on the government’s radar and an inquiry into instances of dual employment had been ordered.

The official said most officers who enjoyed double benefits belonged to the Punjab government and the provincial authorities had been asked to present a report on the matter as soon as possible.

“Action will definitely be taken against civil servants who are violating the rules,” he said.