By News Desk
ISLAMABAD: A slate of new reforms were announced by the federal government on Wednesday which provide timeframes for internal accountability mechanisms of the bureaucracy and aim at bringing efficiency and discipline in their service, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood said.
Mahmood, who also heads the Cabinet Committee on Institutional Reforms, said at a press conference here that the Prime Minister’s Office has been directly involved in the reforms process, and termed it the government’s top priority.
The Civil Servants (E&D) Rules-2020 were approved the in the cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, Mahmood said, adding that they were introduced to improve the bureaucracy’s performance and state institutions.
These rules will ensure transparent and effective internal accountability of bureaucrats and bring efficiency and discipline in their service. Under the new rules, an inquiry against government officials will have to be decided within 105 days — 14 days for submission of response, 60 days for an inquiry committee and 30 days for the authority to decide the case.
Earlier, no timeframe was fixed to conclude the proceedings as a result of which, cases lingered on for years, he added. Opportunity of personal hearing would also be provided by the authority or hearing officer, he added. For the first time, plea bargain and voluntary return have been included in the definition of misconduct and the civil servants involved in them shall now be proceeded against.
One of the main features of the rules is that in case of inquiry, the case will be heard by the “authority”, “inquiry officer” or a “committee” instead of any “authorised officer” who used to be assigned to decide the issue.
He said earlier it had been seen that whenever an officer (but not the authority) was assigned to hold inquiry, he usually disposed of the matter either by awarding minor punishment “under some influence or pressure”. He could also decide the case in whatever time he deemed appropriate. However, the authority will now have to decide the case in 30 days.
According to the new rules, in case of Pakistan Administration Service and Police Service of Pakistan officers posted in provinces, a two-month timeline has been provided to the chief secretary to submit fact-finding report, failing which the Establishment Division can proceed on its own.
In order to expedite the inquiry process, the tier of authorised officer has been eliminated, leaving only two tiers — the authority and inquiry officer or committee. “Timelines have been introduced at every step of the proceedings.
The procedural issues relating to provision of record, slackness on part of departmental representatives, suspension and proceedings against officers on deputation/leave/scholarship have been clearly provided in the new rules.
The rules further state that the Establishment Division has been authorised to issue subsidiary instructions to avoid any delay in finalising the inquiries. In case of multiple suspected officers in a single case, restriction of appointing a single inquiry officer has been imposed to ensure transparency and avoid different decisions in a single case.
Describing the silent features of civil servants promotion, Shafqat said that the powers of the appointing authority have been categorically defined. If an inquiry, investigation or reference was pending in NAB or FIA or any other body against any officer, it will result in the deferment of promotion.