Only a few top posts being abolished

ISLAMABAD: Despite proving ineffective so far, the Cabinet Committee on Rightsizing continued its deliberations to review two more ministries, including Railways and Maritime Affairs.

Regarding Railways, the World Bank had recommended nearly two decades ago that half of its workforce must be sent home and salaries be paid to them while staying at home. The bank estimated that this could lead to some cost savings.

So far, the rightsizing initiative has failed to gain traction, with only about 38,000 redundant posts abolished and estimated savings of Rs36.3 billion under the much-publicised Rightsizing exercise for ministries, divisions and attached departments. Only two posts in the highest bureaucratic grade of BS-22 are set to be abolished.

Out of the total 38,692 posts to be abolished or declared redundant, only 2 are in BS-22, 2 in BS-21, 36 in BS-20, 99 in BS-19, 203 in BS-18, and 760 in BS-17—totaling 1,102 posts from BS-17 to BS-22. Additionally, 102 posts have been declared redundant, including none in BS-22 and BS-21, 1 in BS-20, 17 in BS-19, 26 in BS-18, and 58 in BS-17. The majority of abolished positions—30,968—are from BS-1 to BS-16, with 7,724 declared redundant in these grades.

According to an official announcement on Monday, a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Rightsizing of the Federal Government was held at the Finance Division, chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar, Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi and senior officials from the Finance Division, Establishment Division and other relevant ministries and departments.

The committee reviewed recommendations from the Sub-Committee on Rightsizing, led by Ambassador-at-Large Salman Ahmad, regarding the Ministry of Railways. These proposals focused on streamlining the organisational structure, rationalising human resource allocations, and aligning departmental functions with national priorities for greater efficiency.

An introductory session was also held on the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, covering its scope of work, performance benchmarks, ongoing rightsizing efforts, and their broader impact on public policy and service delivery. The presentation included an overview of the ministry’s attached departments and proposals to enhance institutional efficiency, reduce duplication, and improve sectoral outcomes through leaner administrative models.

Aurangzeb emphasised that rightsizing is not merely about cost-cutting but a strategic reform to improve public sector efficiency, accountability, and service delivery. He stated, “Every ministry and department must align its functions and workforce with clearly defined mandates and measurable performance indicators to optimise public resources for maximum impact.”

He added that the government’s broader public sector reform agenda aims to create a more responsive, performance-driven, and citizen-centric administration, with the Cabinet Committee committed to achieving actionable and sustainable reforms.

The finance minister appreciated the sub-committee’s efforts and urged all ministries to actively participate, stressing that transparent evaluation and evidence-based decisions remain key to the rightsizing process.

The meeting concluded with directives for follow-up evaluations and the preparation of concrete implementation plans in consultation with relevant ministries.