Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that comprehensive and effective recommendations be prepared at the earliest for establishing a performance evaluation system for federal secretaries, marking a major step toward reforming the country’s bureaucracy.
According to sources, while chairing a high-level meeting yesterday (Wednesday), the prime minister emphasized that aligning the civil service with international standards is no longer a choice but a practical necessity, and is the only path to bringing real improvement in governance. He stated that without improving the performance of the bureaucracy, better governance cannot be achieved.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made it clear that encouraging and rewarding officers who demonstrate outstanding performance is essential for reforming the entire system. He said that recognizing performance would act as a catalyst for genuine change within the bureaucracy and would lead to overall improvement in the government structure.
He directed that appropriate proposals be presented to develop mechanisms for performance-based promotions, financial incentives, and other rewards. Instructing the relevant committee to prepare swift and effective recommendations, the prime minister stressed that reforms should be evolutionary and results-oriented.
He further emphasized that performance evaluation is indispensable for improving service delivery in the public sector, and that such measures would play a vital role in ensuring economic stability and social cohesion. According to the prime minister, the fundamental objective of these reforms is to provide better services to the public and enhance the quality of governance.
The prime minister also stressed the need for meaningful and broad-based consultations with the civil administration and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that reforms are effective and practical, 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.
