Proposal: Govt begins reviewing old rank-based pay scales

First meeting of committee to review possibility of reverting to old system takes place.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has formally begun the process of reviewing a possibility of reverting back to the old rank-based pay scales. These pay scales had been abandoned in 1973’s so-called civil service reforms amid challenges of carving out a plan acceptable to all stakeholders.

The first meeting of a committee on position-based and performance-based allowances was held on Friday chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has constituted the committee to review the possibility of retaining talented people in the bureaucracy.

However, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday that the government was working on a proposal to introduce a National Executive Service Cadre to hire people at lucrative packages on top positions, both from the private and public sectors.

The idea had been floated by Lieutenant General (Retired) Tanvir Naqvi as chairman of the National Reconstruction Bureau. The idea was that after Grade-19, another exam should be held to induct people into the top-three grades, both from the public and private sectors.

But his proposal was shot down by the National Security Council of General Pervez Musharraf on the argument that bureaucrats would get backdoor benefits.

The government says that it faces a serious challenge of hiring competent people as the present pay structure is not acceptable.

The current system has become obsolete as it has not been able to deliver its best, according to a handout issued by the Ministry of Finance.  It added that a system of competitive promotion and job placement has become necessary for public sector delivery.

According to senior bureaucrats, the successive governments also weakened the governance structure and promoted only those bureaucrats to the top positions who could budge to the demands of the political leaders.

The new committee is tasked to suggest recommendations for improving efficiency of the civil service, while keeping in view the human resources perspective. The committee comprises Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid, MNA Danyal Aziz, Wapda Chairman Zafar Mahmood, Cabinet Secretary Akhlaq Ahmed Tarar, Housing Secretary Mohammad Younas Dagha and Secretary to the President Ahmad Farooq.

The present unified pay structure was the result of 1973’s civil service reforms introduced by former prime minister Zulifqar Ali Bhutto. However, over the years, the exceptions were created in the system and at present about one-and-a-half dozen departments are receiving salaries higher than the uniformed rates. Despite higher salaries, these departments are still not performing their jobs in an efficient manner, according to a participant of the meeting.

The committee faces a challenge to work out a mechanism which is transparent and could withstand scrutiny of the legislature, the judiciary and the media, according to a member of the committee. He said General Naqvi’s proposal was also flawed.

Another committee, headed by Zahid Hamid, minister for science and technology is already working to develop recommendations for performance evaluation and promotion procedures for federal government officers.

It was decided that further deliberations on the incentives for performance and position will be considered after the report of the committee headed by Hamid is finalised.

The officials said that the government’s biggest challenge will be influential bureaucrats, who have exploited all such opportunities in the past.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2014.

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