Committee Approves Civil Servants Bill, Limits Layoffs

Islamabad, July 11, 2025, 04:31 PM PKT — The Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Cabinet Secretariat, chaired by MNA Malik Ibrar Ahmad, has unanimously approved “The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025” without changes, mandating the Establishment Division to minimize layoffs during the government’s rightsizing exercise, per a news report. The committee directed surplus employees’ reassignment to other departments and the creation of a severance package for those impacted, following a Thursday meeting at Parliament House. The rightsizing initiative targets financially inefficient departments for shutdowns or mergers, offering voluntary golden handshake packages for non-essential roles, amid 115,000 vacant positions, with 90% of displaced staff expected to be absorbed elsewhere.

Committee members voiced concerns: MNA Aslam Ghuman flagged corruption risks from junior staff deputations like food inspectors, urging curbs on discretionary powers. MNA Shahida Begum sought clarity on restructuring impacts, citing unresolved PTCL privatization, while MNA Agha Rafiullah opposed Utility Stores and Pakistan Steel Mills closures, advocating job creation. MNA Tahira Aurangzeb warned of mass layoffs fueling crime rates, especially among lower-grade employees. The Cabinet Secretary stressed reducing bureaucracy and merging SAFRON with Gilgit-Baltistan divisions, with staff reassignment and private sector job facilitation, though golden handshake details remain unclear.

The committee also passed “The National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill 2025” and “The Asaan Karobar Bill 2025” without amendments, praising the Board of Investment (BoI) for consolidating business laws. Web context highlights past restructuring delays (e.g., 5% staff cuts pending), while posts found on X show skepticism—some support efficiency, others fear job losses. Critically, the narrative of “rightsizing success” may mask execution risks—web data points to vacancy issues, and X sentiment suggests distrust in outcome certainty, hinting at potential unrest.