Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that recommendations for a comprehensive and effective system to evaluate the performance of federal secretaries be prepared as soon as possible, marking a significant step toward major reforms in the country’s bureaucracy.
According to sources, while chairing a high-level meeting yesterday, the prime minister stressed that aligning the civil service with international standards is no longer a matter of choice but a practical necessity, and the only way to bring real improvement to the system of governance. He said that better governance cannot be achieved without improving the performance of the bureaucracy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made it clear that encouraging and rewarding officers who demonstrate outstanding performance is essential for reforming the entire system. He noted that recognizing performance would serve as a catalyst for genuine change within the bureaucracy and would lead to improvements across the entire government structure.
He instructed that appropriate proposals be presented to develop mechanisms for performance-based promotions, financial incentives, and other rewards. Directing the relevant committee to prepare swift and effective recommendations, the prime minister said that reforms should be evolutionary and results-oriented.
He emphasized that performance evaluation is indispensable for improving service delivery in the public sector, and that these measures would play an important role in ensuring economic stability and social cohesion. According to the prime minister, the core objective of the reforms is to provide better services to the public and raise the standard of governance.
In addition, the prime minister stressed the need for meaningful and broad-based consultations with the civil administration and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the reforms are effective and practicable, and that the skills and responsibilities of government officers are aligned with modern requirements.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Prime Minister’s Adviser Haroon Akhtar, chief secretaries of all four provinces, and other senior government officials.
