Minister hints at early retirement of long-serving govt employees

ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has announced that government employees of dissolved institutions who are in the final five years of their service will be retired, ARY News reported.

During a Senate session, Senator Aon Abbas raised concerns regarding merging departments, specifically questioning the fate of Utility Stores Corporation and its government employees.

Responding to these concerns, Azam Nazeer Tarar emphasised the need for “right-sizing,” stating, “Running businesses is not the government’s job; it is the government’s role to provide a conducive environment for government employees and the public at large.”

The minister highlighted the rising circular debt and fiscal deficits, stating the need to stabilise the economy by addressing inefficiencies. He revealed that the Civil Aviation Authority has already been merged with the Ministry of Defense.

He assured that government employees of affected departments will receive severance packages, adding, “These employees are Pakistanis, and while the state comes first, our intention is not to render anyone jobless.”

Azam Nazeer Tarar also clarified that government employees willing to work will be retained under new contracts by contractors managing the merged entities. He emphasised that no one will be removed in violation of legal procedures.

On January 10, the federal government of Pakistan had initiated work on budget estimates for the upcoming fiscal year, with key directives issued regarding unnecessary positions and the creation of new vacancies.

As part of these efforts, a directive has been issued to all federal ministries, divisions, and departments in Pakistan to identify and eliminate redundant positions, while imposing a strict ban on the creation of new posts.

In a circular issued by the Ministry of Finance, all government of Pakistan entities have been instructed to submit detailed information on their existing workforce by February 6th. The circular specifically prohibits the creation of any new positions without prior approval from the Ministry of Finance.

Furthermore, the government of Pakistan is undertaking a comprehensive audit of vacant positions that have remained unfilled for more than three years. These positions are slated for elimination as part of the government’s efforts to streamline its operations and reduce its wage bill.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has previously stated that the government has already eliminated 150,000 positions across federal ministries and departments.