Govt moves to amend law regulating overseas jobs for former civil servants

The federal government is preparing amendments to the Ex-Government Servants (Employment with Foreign Governments) (Prohibition) Act, 1966 to simplify procedures for former public officials seeking employment with foreign governments or agencies, Business Recorder reported. 

According to officials, the proposed changes were reviewed by the Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC), chaired by the minister for law and justice.

The Establishment Division informed the committee that the draft amendments were prepared in line with a cabinet directive issued in November 2017. At the time, the cabinet had instructed ministries and divisions to update laws and rules by replacing the term “Federal Government” with the relevant or appropriate authority.

As the custodian of the 1966 law under the Rules of Business, 1973, the Establishment Division prepared the draft bill and obtained vetting from the Law and Justice Division.

During deliberations, the committee noted that the existing provision in Section 4 of the Act prescribing a seven-year punishment was excessive and recommended reducing the penalty to five years.

The CCLC also observed that requiring all categories of former government employees to obtain prior permission before accepting employment with foreign governments or agencies created an administrative burden for the Establishment Division.

Instead, the committee recommended that the federal cabinet be authorised to determine specific categories of former government servants that would require prior approval before taking up such employment.

Under the proposal, the cabinet would also have the authority to include or exclude categories of former officials from the permission requirement from time to time.

Officials said the change is intended to streamline the process and allow certain categories of former government employees to pursue overseas employment opportunities without delays.

Following the discussion, the committee directed the Law and Justice Division to incorporate the recommended revisions into the draft bill.

The CCLC approved the summary submitted by the Establishment Division, subject to these changes, and recommended that the amended bill be placed before the federal cabinet for final approval.