In a bid to cut its own expenditures when fuel prices are over the 200 mark, the government has announced a cut in the fuel allocations of government and bureaucratic officials. The centre announced this decision, and KP and Sindh quickly followed suit. Punjab also announced a complete end to the fuel allocations to ministers. But while this attempt to cut down costs for the government is something, with rapid inflation, it is also important to question the efficacy of the existing bureaucratic model—that we spend so much money on to maintain.

A state’s bureaucracy is naturally a core component of the country’s administration and is instrumental in moving the many parts required to keep functioning in order for a government to work. But Pakistan’s civil service is based on the old colonial structure that existed here during British rule. Not much has changed since then. For instance, it is a little strange that aspirants for the bureaucracy are chosen on the basis of a yearly entrance exam, and not by the various ministries and departments through a professional hiring process. Alongside this, are the concerns raised in the Transfers and Postings editorial.

Instead of the CSS exam, there should be a move towards modernisation. Run the bureaucracy like a professional workplace, and the room for growth will open up, alongside cutting down on the trend for lifetimer bureaucrats to just do minimal work with no repercussions. It is no secret that our bureaucracy is bloated. There is a need for a trim down in the size of the workforce, but that can never happen if the state opens up a yearly examination for new entrants, all selected through a standardised test. Ministries and departments should hire by need, not by a yearly influx.

Sadly, radical change requires consultations, agreement and critically, time, to put the changes in place and let them take effect. The existing coalition government, sadly, does not have these luxuries. This process would require time and successive governments to follow through on an agreed agenda. With several political parties looking to chart a long-term economic trajectory, perhaps it is time to consider this reformation exercise as well.