A notification of the Finance Division circulating in social media indicates the Government is seriously considering abolition of all vacant posts from Grade-1 to 16 in all Federal Government Ministries, Divisions and Departments. The Cabinet Implementation Committee on Re-organizing the Federal Government has already issued directions for the purpose and it is now a question of time and modus operandi.
Re-organization, restructuring and right-sizing has been a continuous process in the Government under which unnecessary posts are abolished and new posts are created as per requirements of a particular organization. However, it is for the first time that a wholesale process is envisaged for abolition of all posts from BPS-1 to 16 that have remained vacant for more than one year. This seems to be an irrational approach as in the majority of cases the posts remain vacant due to recruitment ban and not because these are redundant/no more required. Apart from posts of administration and accounts, there are numerous posts of technicians and technical work force that constitute backbone of a number of institutions. Therefore, application of the decision in a blanket manner would deprive them of an opportunity to hire direly needed manpower to advance the cause of their organizations. No doubt, abolition of posts would not affect the incumbent employees but abolition of thousands of posts would deprive job-seekers of an opportunity to compete for an honourable job in the Government. This would be in direct clash with public pronouncements of the leadership of the Government to provide job opportunities to five million people. The Government is definitely under immense pressure of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) but one wonders how an elected Government can initiate a move that would contribute to unemployment and mar performance and efficiency of institutions. The unwise move needs to be abandoned in the interest of the people and the country because austerity doesn’t mean compromising on fundamental working of the governmental machinery.
