ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to abolish 30,968 government posts in different departments under its rightsizing plan.
The secretary of the Cabinet Division shared with the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue on Wednesday about the scale-wise details of abolished posts and posts declared as dying posts after decision of cabinet meeting.
The number of posts declared as dying posts stood at 7,724 which would be abolished in future, the Cabinet Secretary informed.
5 more ministries to be examined for rightsizing
Most of the posts (7,305) in Scale-I would be abolished under the plan, whereas, only two posts of Grade 21-22 would be abolished under the plan. A total of 36 posts have been abolished under Grade-20 and 99 posts of Grade-19 would be abolished in future.
Secretary of the Cabinet Division briefed the committee on the government’s rightsizing initiative. He informed the committee that the prime minister had instructed a reduction in the size of the federal government to improve efficiency and prioritise core responsibilities, and added that institutional reforms had also been initiated as part of this directive.
“The primary goal is for the federal government to focus on its essential functions, while transferring additional responsibilities to the provinces,” he explained, adding that the prime minister had also ordered a review of government-run commercial activities to assess their necessity and effectiveness.
The Cabinet secretary clarified that regulatory authorities would not be impacted by the rightsizing process. However, these bodies are being asked to submit data on consultants, staff strength, and salary structures. The effects of rightsizing on autonomous institutions are also being examined.
Senator Sherry Rehman expressed concern over the government’s approach to reforms. “On the one hand, the government talks about cutting costs, yet on the other, it has doubled the size of the federal cabinet,” she stated.
She also raised concerns that the rightsizing policy could cause significant hardship for government employees. “What will be the impact on those who are forced into early retirement,” she asked.
In response, the Cabinet secretary acknowledged that the decision to implement rightsizing was critical. “This step alone will result in substantial savings for the state,” he said. He also noted that the elimination of redundant posts had already led to considerable cost reductions. “These efforts aim to increase operational efficiency across government departments,” he added.
On the issue of new ministerial appointments, the Cabinet secretary stated, “The induction of new ministers is expected to enhance the overall performance of ministries, in line with the broader agenda of institutional reform.”
The committee members were informed that the performance of the Rightsizing Committee is under regular review, with questions being raised to ensure transparency and accountability.
The session began with the presentation of the Committee’s Annual Report covering the period from June 2024 to March 2025. The committee members also discussed the finalisation of the Private Member’s Bill titled, “The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025,” introduced by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada during the Senate sitting on February 17, 2025.
The discussion focused on objections raised regarding the bill’s classification as a money bill, and members explored the possibility of incorporating changes without designating it as such. Senator Rahman countered that the bill does not directly interfere with taxation.
“If a proposal leads to improvement, we should consider it rather than block it,” she added. To seek further clarity, the committee unanimously decided to summon the chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the next meeting before finalising the bill.
The meeting underscored the complexities of balancing fiscal discipline with administrative effectiveness and the challenges involved in executing large-scale structural reforms.
The chairman of the committee, along with its members, unanimously decided to review the matter thoroughly and department-wise, and to discuss it further in the next meeting.
Among those present were senators, Mohsin Aziz, Sherry Rehman, Faisal Vawda, Zeeshan Khanzada, and Anusha Rahman, along with the secretaries of the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Finance and Revenue, as well as senior officials from relevant departments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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