New bureaucracy

Bureaucracy in Naya Pakistan is yet to come out of the colonial mindset because they consider themselves as ‘perpetual rulers’ or 'masters' and they treat the citizens of this country as their subjects. When will our civil servants start considering their power and authority as a scared trust? And when will parochial and other similar prejudices be discouraged? Like many others, my heart bleeds when I see and hear about the unbridled financial scams and pervasive loot and plunder in various public-sector organizations. This is happening because good governance, coupled with effective fiscal management, is totally absent in many public-sector organizations.

The cancer of corruption is rampant in all sectors; bribery is a way of life in government offices even in this Naya Pakistan. Bureaucracy matters. Naya Pakistan needs capable, ethical and visionary civil servants. The appointment and confirmation process of government officials should be more transparent and the public should be given a chance to give input. There should be a complete ban on rehiring the retired lot who do nothing. Our rulers are requested to professionalise the bureaucracy not ethnicise it. To transform our bureaucracy and bureaucratic culture, Prime Minister Imran Khan must translate his words into action.

Hashim Abro

Islamabad