The Federal Cabinet has approved the recommendation of a committee to merge the communications ministry with the postal services division, and the commerce ministry with the textile division.
Reports reveal that the implementation committee on restructuring government departments has recommended the merger of 19 sub-bodies within seven ministries.
Govt’s Plan to Reduce Departments
The Implementation Committee on restructuring governmental departments has also put forward a recommendation of transferring nine subordinate departments of five ministries to other ministries. While it has also proposed abolishing five departments within three ministries.
These recommendations have been approved by the federal cabinet. As per the documents circulating on media, the committee had submitted its recommendations to the Federal Cabinet earlier in October.
PTI govt okays plan to reduce govt departments
Dr Ishrat Hussain implementation committee for restructuring govt departments recommended merging 19 sub-bodies of 7 ministries, transferring 9 deptts of 5 ministries to others, abolishing 5 deptts of 3.
https://t.co/BhmnYXlfrJ— Ammara Durrani (@ammaradurrani) December 9, 2019
The committee has convened six meetings in the last two months to deliberate over the merger, transfer, and abolishment of several entities within the federal government. These proposals were forwarded to various ministries, divisions, and secretaries.
Representatives from various ministries were called to present their arguments. The committee held consultations with representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, representatives from different departments, sub-bodies of ministries, and autonomous bodies. All the representatives agreed with the recommendations of the committee.
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The committee directed some of the ministries to engage in further consultations and provide their reports on the matter. As per the summary, the concerned ministries will deliberate over the changes in the rules of business.
Earlier in October, Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms, apprised a Senate Committee that the restructuring of the federal government was an ongoing process, and the government has conducted a legal and functional classification of 441 entities.
https://twitter.com/sarfrazrajar/status/1203356903595814913
Dr. Hussain apprised the committee that as per the findings of a survey, the federal government will retain only 342 institutions, and the remaining will either be merged or shut down. The Senate Committee was apprised that eight institutions within the federal government will be shut down.
However, the employees of these institutions will be transferred to other departments as the government will not ordain any job cuts. The Imran Khan-led government’s decision to cut down departments has garnered much criticism for its decision, which will impact the employment opportunities within the federal government.
Read more: Pakistan not creating enough Jobs for it’s Graduates
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also raised the same criticism earlier this month while addressing a public gathering.
PTI in opposition: we will provide 50 million jobs after forming govt.
PTI in October 2019: don't look to govt 4 jobs, we have no jobs to offer, its not our job to give jobs and we are finishing 400 departments to be shut down (to make thousands more jobless) pic.twitter.com/fDgM1o3CQU
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) October 15, 2019
It is important to note that the government has undertaken this decision to reduce the expenses of the national exchequer.