Govt downplays Dr Bengali's resignation

Asserts committee impartially 'reviewing' govt, autonomous bodies

ISLAMABAD:

The government on Sunday downplayed the resignation of Dr Kaiser Bengali, one of the country's leading economists, who stepped down from key committees over concerns of "biased" rightsizing, asserting that his decision was likely due to a communication gap or misunderstanding.

A government spokesperson clarified that the ongoing rightsizing process involves positions across all grades, from 1 to 22, and not just lower grades.

In response to Dr Bengali's concerns, the government acknowledged the significance of his contributions, stating, "The committee holds Dr Kaiser Bengali's views in high regard.

As a respected member of the committee, he provided significant advice during the initial phase of the right-sizing exercise."

The first phase of the review targeted six ministries and departments, leading to recommendations to abolish one ministry and merge two others. The changes could result in the elimination of at least two Grade 22 positions along with several others from Grades 17 to 21.

Moreover, the government is contemplating amendments to the 1973 Civil Servants Act to introduce a mandatory retirement package applicable to all civil servants.

The government attributed Dr Bengali's concerns to a possible communication gap or misunderstanding, stressing that all grades, from 1 to 22, are under review in the rightsizing process, potentially affecting 60,000 positions.

The review process, according to the government, is being conducted impartially and based on transparent criteria.

Dr Bengali, who has now sent his resignation to Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and Cabinet Division Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, was part of key bodies overseeing austerity, rightsizing, and expenditure reduction—committees formed by the PML-N-led coalition government in the wake of the economic crisis after the 2024 general elections.

His resignation comes as the government continues to claim its commitment to overcoming the economic crisis through austerity measures, rightsizing, and the privatisation of unprofitable state-owned entities, while also negotiating another bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In his resignation statement, Dr Bengali praised the government's "good efforts" to reduce spending, acknowledging the crucial role of the committees in cutting down government expenditures.