Obstructive red tape: Another minister speaks up against bureaucracy

Kamran Michael seeks audience with PM against ‘non-cooperative’ officialdom

ISLAMABAD: Following in the footsteps of two other federal ministers, Minister for Human Rights Senator Kamran Michael has also complained against ‘the non-cooperative attitude’ of bureaucracy and sought meeting with the Prime Minister to convey his grievances.

Michael is the third federal minister during the last one month who has accused bureaucracy of being a stumbling block in delivery of services. Before him, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada and Federal Minister for Industries and Production Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi had expressed unhappiness with the bureaucracy.

“Ever since I have taken over the portfolio of this ministry, I have faced a number of hindrances with regard to compliance with my directions in official matters,” Michael has said in a letter available with The Express Tribune.



Through the May 10 letter addressed to his secretary Rabia Javeri Agha, Michael laments about “a number of activities arranged without my knowledge” besides warning that “such situation in the office will affect the overall working spirit of the ministry.”

The minister has also sought updated compliance status of five important activities of the secretary and his staff. He complained that despite clear directions, the ministry did not arrange his meeting with the European Union’s (EU) delegation in April 2017.

“This non-cooperation of senior officers at the ministry might jeopardise Pakistan’s status of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) in the EU for the non-implementation of the human rights charter,” says the minister.

Sources privy to the minister stated that senior officials of the ministry have yet to arrange the minister’s meeting with the EU’s delegation in connection with continuation of the GSP status.



The minister has also expressed annoyance over non-operationalisation of a helpline in Lahore for the needy, nonpayment of bills related to events on Human Rights Day, running a Christmas Train, composing a human rights song and arranging a poetic symposium.

Interestingly, the secretary, who has written his notes and replied to the minister’s concern on the same letter, has stated that the issues were brought to his knowledge for the first time. However, the secretary could not be reached for comments despite multiple attempts.

Meanwhile, according to an officer privy to the development, the minister, upon return from aboard, is likely to write to the Establishment Division about the secretary and his ‘non-cooperation’.



Interestingly, all the three federal ministers consider Secretary to Prime Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad – the official who calls the shots in bureaucracy – as the prime impediment in their official businesses.

All the ministers have blamed their senior officers of taking instructions from Fawad, not deeming themselves answerable to the ministers.

After his resignation, minister Pirzada had told the media that he was being bypassed in several matters including postings and transfers of bodies under his ministry as well as financial affairs, especially of the Pakistan Sports Board. He also accused Fawad of causing undue interference and creating hurdles in his official business.

Michael was elected as a senator in March 2012 on one of the 10 seats reserved for minorities after the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti. After 2013 general election, he was given portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Ports and Shipping. In May 2016, he was appointed Federal Minister for Human Rights.