Bill seeking bar on Babus’ foreign service opposed

Officials asks an MPs panel to seek opinion of Secretary Foreign Affairs before taking decision

ISLAMABAD: The legislature wants civil servants to have undivided loyalty to the state but a top representative of bureaucracy on Wednesday apparently opposed a move aimed at barring them from serving in international organisations during service.

The pro-bureaucracy sentiments were expressed by Secretary Establishment Nadeem Hassan Asif, who impliedly opposed a bill seeking ban on civil servants from serving international organisations, NGOs and donors during their service after taking leave.

The bill, seeking amendment in Civil Servants Act, 1973 [LXXI of 1973], was jointly moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Syeda Sughra Imam and Dr Nafisa Shah.

“Leave is right of every civil servant,” Asif said while responding to a question about officials who have taken leave and are serving an international organisation.

He said there were international obligations as our officers serve in UN missions and other such organisations of which Pakistan is signatory. He, later, asked the committee to seek opinion of Secretary Foreign Affairs before taking a decision over the bill.

The bill, however, has made it clear that restrictions should not apply on those posted on behalf of the country.

The bill said when a Pakistani Civil Servant takes leave of absence from his official duties from government and starts working for international organisations while continuing to be a civil servant of the State of Pakistan, it is tantamount to a conflict of interest.

The bill seeks to ensure that this practice of “outsourcing” Pakistani Civil Servants to international organisations ceases, and they serve the State of Pakistan only in their official capacity.

The committee, later, asked secretary establishment to submit details of all those civil servants – who were on leave – and to take action against them by next meeting on February 25.  The committee also asked Ministry of Law to submit a comparative analysis on leave laws with other countries, particularly India.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2015.