Experts Call for Comprehensive Overhaul of Federal, Provincial and Local Civil Services

ISLAMABAD Experts have called for a comprehensive restructuring of Pakistan’s federal, provincial and local civil services in accordance with the constitutional framework, stressing that the existing gaps between federal and provincial administrative powers are hampering effective governance and weakening the functioning of provincial administrations, assemblies and local governments. The experts said that meaningful provincial autonomy could not be achieved without developing administrative, financial and human resource systems commensurate with the provinces’ constitutional responsibilities. They also emphasized that strengthening local governments required far more than holding elections, arguing that elected local bodies must be supported by permanent, professionally trained and dedicated civil services. They expressed these views while addressing a national reform seminar titled “National Reform Movement”, organized by the Republic Policy Think Tank at the National Press Club, Islamabad. Former federal minister Daniyal Aziz, Pakistan People’s Party Central Information Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chan, renowned economist Dr Mian Iqbal, civil rights activist Wasif Tariq Mahmood Awan and other experts participated in the discussion. The speakers maintained that the transfer of authority to the grassroots level would remain incomplete unless local governments were provided with clearly defined legal jurisdictions, adequate financial resources, administrative powers and their own professional civil services. They stressed that civil service reform should go beyond merely renaming existing services or creating new occupational groups. Instead, the reform process should seek to fundamentally reorganize Pakistan’s administrative architecture around the principles of constitutional governance, federalism, democratic accountability, professional competence and meaningful local autonomy. The experts further observed that the civil service should function as an effective instrument of elected governments rather than an alternative to them. It must operate within the framework of law while respecting and strengthening the respective constitutional mandates of federal, provincial and local governments. They concluded that a clearly defined and integrated structure of federal, shared, provincial and local civil services was essential for strengthening federalism, improving public administration, ensuring democratic accountability and making the system of local government genuinely effective.