LAHORE: A joint meeting of the task forces on civil service reforms and austerity and restructuring of the government is scheduled to be held here on Friday to reportedly finalise their proposals regarding a new civil service system, offering a high pay package to civil servants without the perks enjoyed by them at present.

Other important topics that will have far reaching impact on Pakistan are also on the agenda of the meeting which is scheduled to be presided over by the task forces chairman Dr Ishrat Hussain, a former State Bank of Pakistan governor.

The topics include presentation on civil service training reform, discussion on the proposed amendments to the Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules of 1973, placement of Airport Security Force under the ministry of interior or otherwise, increasing retirement age for civil service servants, formation of sub-group on local government administrative architecture to support the new Local Government System (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, and update on governance reforms in Punjab).

Official sources informed Dawn on Tuesday the meeting would discuss changing the system of entry to the federal civil service, producing specialist technocrats and not the current generalist bureaucrats.

Clubbing of different sectors and prescribing specific qualifications for specific jobs for the candidates intending to sit the CSS examination has already been made public. Other related proposals include allowing candidates to sit the CSS examination only after making them clear tests of the required subjects.

They said the meeting on Friday was expected to discuss on how to introduce a market-based higher and attractive pay package starting from the entry level of the federal superior services. There would nevertheless be no perk and privilege as is being enjoyed by the bureaucracy at present. And these include official accommodation, house acquisition grants, special allowances and officials vehicles with petrol.

Officials were not sure whether the new package would also deny pension to the civil servants.

They said those already in service would be given options to either opt for the new system and get higher salaries or continue with the present grade based low salaries for the sake of privileges.

They said the recommendations of the task force would be submitted to the federal cabinet for discussion and approval.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2019