Saeed chaudhry
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Thursday organized a seminar on “Pakistan Governance Roadmap 2025: Civil Service Reform, Now or Never”, urging immediate transformation of Pakistan’s governance system. The session was moderated by Dr. Faheem Jehangir, Dean Policy at PIDE & PD RASTA, and led by Dr. Adnan Rafiq, Member (Governance) at the Planning Commission of Pakistan. Policymakers, academics, and students attended the event.
Delivering the keynote, Dr. Rafiq stressed that civil service reform is no longer optional but a “survival imperative.” He noted that repeated reform efforts since the 1950s have failed due to political resistance, bureaucratic inertia, and lack of continuity. Influenced by colonial-era practices and facing new socio-economic challenges, technological changes, and global disruptions, Pakistan’s bureaucracy, he argued, needs urgent upgradation.
Backed by Federal Minister of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Dr. Rafiq presented 47 recommendations for improving institutional structures and civil service practices to enhance efficiency and public service delivery.
The Pakistan Governance Roadmap 2025 envisions a SMART civil service — Specialized, Meritocratic, Accountable, Responsive, and Trusted. The proposed transformation aims to shift governance from process compliance to measurable outcomes, domain expertise, and citizen-centric service delivery.
The roadmap is structured across five major pillars: specialized recruitment exams focusing on critical thinking; competitive, advanced training linked to promotions; creation of a National Executive Service (NES) for senior leadership with mandatory lateral entry from the private sector; performance management systems tying individual goals to ministerial outcomes through KPIs and multi-source feedback; and merit-based compensation, promotions, and contributory pensions.
Institutional strengthening is another key feature, including modernization of the Federal Public Service Commission through digital platforms and regional outreach, establishment of specialized service groups in law, economics, energy, engineering, and planning, and professionalization of ministries with Human Resource Coordinators and Senior Executive Scales. The plan also calls for stronger federal–provincial coordination and empowered local governments with devolved authority, revenue mobilization, and inclusive elections to reinforce grassroots democracy.
The roadmap also introduces STAR principles — Stable, Transparent, Agile, and Responsible governance — supported by digital transformation initiatives. These include the Open PSDP portal, the National Job Portal, and climate-resilient recovery frameworks to boost transparency, inclusivity, accountability, and economic growth.
Dr. Rafiq further emphasized the separation of policy, regulation, and execution functions within governance. He cautioned, however, that implementing the SMART framework may face challenges such as entrenched cultural resistance in the bureaucracy and outdated financial practices. Sustained political will and stakeholder consensus, he said, are essential for success.
Concluding the seminar, Dr. Rafiq urged that reforms “cannot remain on paper” but must be institutionalized and consistently implemented. He reiterated that Pakistan’s future depends on building a civil service that is agile, citizen-serving, and performance-driven, following global best practices. The seminar ended with consensus that civil service reform is not just an option but a national necessity, as Pakistan’s prosperity is tied to an efficient and competent bureaucracy.
