The special services extended to civil servants just make the rest of the public seem like second-class citizens.
ISLAMABAD: The civil servants of this country are the most powerful and privileged persons. While they serve, apart from the pay, they enjoy the perks of fully-furnished offices, government houses and facilities such as chauffeur-driven cars — the fuel expenses of which again come from the national exchequer. In addition, they enjoy the services of a private secretary, personal assistant and a battery of subordinate employees. They are also entitled to free medical aid for themselves and their families and receive extra travelling and daily allowances when they go on official tours in or out of the country.
It doesn’t end here. After retirement, they get a substantial amount of pension and also get an orderly allowance. Recently, the National Bank constructed a separate building from where retired civil servants will be able to collect their pension. The building has a fully air conditioned ground floor to facilitate these bureaucrats.
One does not envy their/pensioners new or previous status but the extravagant favours extended to them does cause heart burning and resentment among those pensioners who draw pension from other branches of the National Bank where no attention is given to their speedy facilitation.
There is no justice in this kind of special treatment extended to civil servants. These special services just make the rest of the public seem like second-class citizens, a demarcation which has no room in a democratic society, which should be based on egalitarian principles. All citizens of the country should have equal access to the privileges offered by the state.
Raja Shafaatullah
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2014.
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