Government of Pakistan takes steps to reduce public sector size and expenses
The Cabinet Committee on Institutional Reforms in Pakistan has recommended cutting 150,000 vacant positions, banning contingency recruitment, and outsourcing non-core services to reduce the overall size of the public sector. This move will gradually phase out many positions in grades 1 to 16 in federal government departments.
During a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the committee presented its recommendations for right-sizing in various federal ministries. The Ministry of Finance has been tasked with overseeing the cash balances of other federal ministries.
One of the key proposals includes merging the Ministry of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan with the Ministry of State and Frontier Regions. Additionally, the committee suggested closing 28 institutions and merging 12 others within the five ministries under review.
PM Shahbaz emphasized the need to approve and implement these reforms quickly to reduce government expenditure and improve public service quality. The goal is to lessen the burden on the national treasury and enhance services for the public.
Various key government officials participated in the meeting, indicating strong support for these institutional reforms.