Punjab’s frequent bureaucratic shuffling destroyed morale
PHOTO: FILE
A year of legal quagmires saw multiple changes of government in the country’s most populous province, which triggered uncertainty within the bureaucracy as the threat of being transferred loomed over civil servants.
The bureaucratic reshuffling started with the short-lived Hamza Shahbaz led Punjab government and continued when Chaudhary Pervez Elahi, the current Chief Minister (CM), came into office. While having a bureaucracy of their own choosing is the prerogative of the CM, the three-year tenure policy was ignored, leading to a demoralised administration, which was constantly looking over their shoulder.
Presently, even though the current Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed CM has assured the Lahore High Court of not dissolving assemblies, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and its allies are mustering support to oust him. If a change were to happen, Punjab would again be subjected to a bureaucratic reshuffle which former officers believe is an exercise detrimental to the province’s progress. Ahmad Naseem, former inspector general (IG) Punjab Police, whilst acknowledging that postings were a part of the civil service, said that abrupt transfers upend the entire system.
Naseem, talking about why upheavals were problematic, stated: “For instance, police rules require that you familiarise yourself with the conditions of the place where you are posted. Cases of theft and robbery are to be pursued in detail which is only possible if top officers are given adequate time to follow up. However, all these responsibilities cannot be performed properly if officers, regardless of rank, are transferred every few months.” Naseem’s assessment holds weight as Punjab has struggled to retain a long term IG, with former IG Faisal Shahkar recently relinquishing his charge. However, it is not just the police, the province’s chief secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, was transferred recently as well.
In this regard, former chief secretary Punjab, Imtiaz Masroor, is of the view that frequent postings are the Achilles’ heel for every department’s functionality. “Any new government brings an army of officers of their choice, citing comfortability as a reason. They forget the impact that this has on the morale of officers.” Masroor, when asked if he saw an end to the practice in the near future, said that it seemed impossible. “Tenure policy of officers was followed in yesteryears, now civil servants are chosen as per their political party affiliation.” Mental health tollIn the PML-N’s short stint, Uzma Bukhari, the party’s information secretary and a Member Provincial Assembly (MPA), had gone to great lengths to reassure that the tenure policy would be followed in the province.
Similarly, the Spokesperson for the CM and Advisor to former prime minister Imran Khan, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan, also said that the PTI and Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) would follow the tenure policy. However, none of the political parties stuck by their words. “Every party treats the bureaucrats as chess pieces rather than human beings with feelings,” remarked Naseem. “Politicians only see the service aspect, not consequences such as officers having to move their children from school to school every few months.” Psychologist and Professor Dr Rizwan Aziz, when asked about the effect of frequent moves on officer’s morale, said that it was a recipe for disaster. “Mentally, civil servants need time to adjust to a new environment, but when they are sent to another place before that time, their mind is overwhelmed with pressure. Resultantly, they start to show signs of irritability and build a fiery temper.” Masroor, concurring with the psychologist’s assessment, implored that there was a desperate need for reforms in the upcoming year.
“Hopefully, some government will take a stand on the tenure policy so that officers will focus on working rather than building political affiliations to remain in Punjab. The bureaucracy’s treatment as a shuttlecock has to stop,” the former chief secretary told The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2022.