In a significant step towards administrative reform, the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has approved “The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025”, calling for measures to minimize employee layoffs and ensure optimal adjustment and fair compensation for those impacted. The committee also passed two additional bills, promoting greater ease of business and administrative clarity.
Meeting at Parliament House under the chairmanship of MNA Malik Ibrar Ahmad, the committee reviewed in detail the amendments envisaged under “The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025”. The Secretary of the Establishment Division briefed the committee, explaining that the federal government’s ongoing administrative reforms aim to improve efficiency and generate cost savings through a rightsizing strategy. He revealed existing limitations under the original Civil Servants Act, 1973, stating it only permitted the termination of civil servants in isolated, individual cases and was inadequate to address situations arising from broader policy decisions.
To address these gaps, a comprehensive amendment was introduced to establish a legal framework that would allow the federal government to carry out meaningful organizational restructuring. Such restructuring would either absorb surplus civil servants into other departments through a surplus pool mechanism or provide them severance packages in alignment with their best interests. While approving the bill without amendments, the committee underscored that employee interests must remain central to the reform process, directing authorities to keep layoffs minimal and adopt extensive adjustment and compensation efforts.
In the same session, the Standing Committee approved “The National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill 2025” without changes. The Establishment Division informed committee members that following the decision of the Cabinet, this bill aimed mainly at replacing references to “Federal Government” with the relevant authorities in line with updated administrative terminologies. The committee agreed that the amendment was necessary to align the act with current government policy directives.
Additionally, the Committee approved “The Asaan Karobar Bill 2025,” welcoming the Board of Investment’s (BOI) efforts to simplify Pakistan’s complex regulatory framework. Explaining the rationale behind this legislation, the Additional Secretary BOI informed the committee that Pakistan’s regulatory structure, inherited largely from the British era, had become progressively cumbersome due to numerous amendments over time, impeding business competitiveness. He added that the bill would centralize the fragmented laws and regulations, thus significantly easing regulatory compliance for businesses. Upon enactment, he explained, the BOI will establish a dedicated regulatory modernization unit tasked with mapping existing rules, simplifying processes, and improving regulatory governance, ultimately fostering a more appealing environment for local and foreign investment.
The meeting was attended by committee members including MNAs Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, Ms. Nuzhat Sadiq, Pir Ameer Ali Shah Jeelani, Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, Mr. Muhammad Aslam Ghumman, Mr. Ali Asghar Khan, Mr. Khurram Munawar Manj, Syed Raza Ali Gillani, Sayed Sami Ullah, Ms. Shahida Begum, Mr. Nelson Azeem, Ms. Rana Ansar, and Syed Rafiullah via video link. Movers of the bills, including MNAs Mr. Noor Alam Khan, Sahibzada Sibghatullah, and Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, were also present, along with senior government officials such as the Secretary Cabinet Division, Secretary Establishment Division, and representatives from other relevant departments.
