A LARGE number of civil servants in the country hold dual nationality. These civil servants are entrusted with the task of running the state and they are also involved in policy making decisions.

Considering the sensitive nature of duty, the dual nationality clearly falls under the ambit of ‘conflict of interest.’

This shows that Pakistan’s administrative class itself has no confidence in this country and their first preference after retirement is to settle abroad. Such mistrust by the administrators themselves is a paradox.

Our mandarins don’t want to get treated in the hospitals they administer. They do not want to send their children to the schools they run, and last but not least they don’t want to live in the country they pretend to serve.

Whatever may be the reason our civil servants offer for this state of affairs, the truth is that the bureaucracy still runs on colonial principles.

The government that has promised change should give serious thought to civil services reforms. It should ensure that government servants do not have dual nationality. This is the best way to ensure that this country’s interests are kept supreme.

M.Z. Javed
Lahore

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2019