Ahsan Iqbal Chairs Meeting on Civil Service Reforms

Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, chaired a meeting of the Committee on Civil Service Reforms on Thursday, emphasizing the challenges in retaining skilled professionals within public sector developments.

The meeting was attended by the Minister for Petroleum, the Secretary Cabinet, the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Planning, and representatives from key ministries, including the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), according to a press release.

“The skillset of many public sector professionals does not align with the demands of their roles,” the minister stated, stressing the need to adopt lessons from corporate sector practices to bridge this gap.

To further these discussions, HR managers from Engro Corporation, Unilever, and Wafi Energy Pakistan Limited (formerly Shell Pakistan Limited) participated online. They shared insights into their recruitment and HR training models, highlighting their commitment to meritocracy, fair employee rewards, and character-based leadership as the cornerstone of their strategies.

The meeting also explored the advantages enjoyed by private companies, such as access to diverse talent pools and fewer regulatory constraints, which allow for more flexible and efficient systems.

While acknowledging the regulatory limitations in the public sector, Minister Ahsan Iqbal underscored the importance of identifying corporate practices that can be adapted within public sector resources.

The committee was directed to incorporate actionable insights from these deliberations to improve civil service recruitment, training, and performance management, aiming to create a more competitive and effective public sector workforce.