Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a 20-member committee under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to enhance government efficiency and address bureaucratic redundancies. The committee is tasked with proposing frameworks to enable inter-departmental collaboration and evidence-based policymaking while addressing national priorities.
According to a news report, the committee, comprising federal ministers, technocrats, businessmen, and current and former officials, reflects the government’s focus on adopting a “whole-of-government approach,” similar to the model used for the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). Among its members are politicians like Senator Sherry Rehman, former Revenue Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, and governance expert Zubair Bhatti.
However, the Cabinet Division faced criticism after issuing a corrigendum to its original notification, which mistakenly referred to Jahanzeb Khan, secretary of the SIFC apex committee, as Pakistan’s Alternate Executive Director to the World Bank. The correction clarified Khan’s status as a retired BS-22 officer, while Dr. Tauqir Shah remains in his current role as Alternate Executive Director until January 29, after which he will rejoin the government as part of the PM’s administration.
The committee’s mandate includes evaluating the Federal Secretariat’s performance, identifying overlaps and inefficiencies, and integrating global best practices like Singapore and New Zealand’s lean government frameworks. It will also focus on incentivizing high performance through transparent, merit-based evaluation linked to promotions and professional development.
To modernize governance, the committee will recommend upgrading the existing e-office system into an advanced Management Information System, featuring real-time tracking, analytics, and decision-support tools to promote accountability and efficiency. It will also propose revisions to the Secretariat Instructions 2004 to integrate digital tools and systems.
A report outlining the committee’s recommendations is expected within a month. Ishaq Dar, who chairs over two dozen committees in addition to his responsibilities as Foreign Minister, will oversee the reform initiative.
Sources suggest that the government aims to streamline decision-making processes and improve the Federal Secretariat’s effectiveness while aligning reforms with international best practices to address Pakistan’s pressing governance challenges.
