Downsizing ministries, merging departments: Establishment Division initiates homework on proposal

The Establishment Division has initiated homework on a proposal to cut the size of federal ministries and merge government departments hours before Nawaz Sharif took oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan, sources in division disclosed. Sources said slashing the size of federal cabinet was a component of the austerity measures and the newly elected government of Nawaz Sharif was expected to save billions of rupees of taxpayers' money through a lean cabinet.
The actual size of the ministries so far was not decided but it was believed that the number would be between 25 to 30, sources maintained. The proposal is being prepared taking into account the right sizing of ministries plan given by Dr Ishrat Hussain during Musharraf's government and Former Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin who recommended measures to cut the government's non-development budget by 30 percent.
Over the years the size of the federal bureaucracy has risen dramatically because of political reasons and bureaucracy's vested interests. During Musharraf's rule, a commission under Dr Ishrat Hussain had recommended cutting the size of the ministries from over 40 to 17 but his recommendations were ignored. The past five years of PPP led coalition government witnessed an unprecedented rise in the number of ministries attributed to the implementation of the policy of reconciliation.
The names of two candidates for the slot of principal secretary to Mian Nawaz Sharif are being considered who would give final shape to the proposal of cutting the size of bureaucracy, according to reliable sources. High-ranking bureaucrats Chaudhry Qamar-uz-Zaman or Mohammad Sami would likely be short-listed and one of them could be the principal secretary, sources maintained.
Sources said Saeed Mahdi, former principal secretary to Nawaz Sharif during his last stint as prime minister is playing a key role in selecting individuals for top slots in the federal bureaucracy. Muhammad Sami served as Personal Staff Officer (PSO) to Nawaz Sharif during his tenure as prime minister in 1998-9. Meanwhile, Chaudhry Qamar-uz-Zaman is one of the top bureaucrats and served as secretary interior in year 2009. He has been in hot waters during the last tenure of PPP due to his good reputation.
Nasir Khosa, now federal secretary of the textile ministry, is a potential candidate for the cabinet secretary slot. Sources also said that he might be appointed as secretary general for the Ministry Water and Power, an upgraded slot, and one other secretary might also be appointed to this important Ministry to chalk out the strategy for eradicating loadshedding in the country and coming up with new power generation initiatives. Khosa had worked with the previous government of Punjab and served as chief secretary of the province for over four years.
Various bureaucratic lobbies are at play seeking to get their allies installed at key positions including as federal secretaries, heads of autonomous bodies, positions in various public sector enterprises, commercial counsellors or economic ministers in foreign embassies, chairman of the Capital Development Authority and establishment secretary.