We live in a world where technological advances and complexities of economics, foreign relations, trade and management of varied spheres directly impact lives of citizens, requiring specialists to manage affairs. Our civil services are outdated and competitive examination must be upgraded to recruit experts in various fields, who can be groomed and trained in administration skills by Civil Service Academy. Instead, unqualified individuals have been inducted through lateral entries by political governments and security establishment, bypassing existing system of selection. This has eroded quality. Mediocrity, corruption, bribery and lack of ethics dominates rank and file of our civil bureaucracy, which has contributed to poor governance.
Influential politically affiliated cronies who hold a graduation degree, not recognized internationally because of two year course, and who would never qualify in competitive examination are beneficiaries of lateral entries.
This country invests a lot in recruiting FA/FSC pass physically fit persons to be trained as officers in our armed forces. It is shocking that numerous influential officers, who are either afraid of seeing active duty on battlefield, or unsuitable for armed forces, are rehabilitated in civil bureaucracy as if this was inferior service.
This has contributed to poor governance and rise in corrupt practices and bribery which has resulted in institutionalised corruption, massive flight of capital, brain drain and economic downslide. When paid employees of state benefit more from allotment of plots and their corporate interests vide their immediate family members involved in trade benefitting from their abuse of power, than these Conflicts of Interest, lead to compromise of their constitutional duties with drastic loss to national and public interest.
Foreign postings to our embassies and state institutions like PIA, National Bank etc are dominated by officers who hold foreign nationalities of those countries whose oath of allegiance they have sworn to uphold after revoking their previous loyalties, has caused immense harm to Pakistan, with drastic consequences for our national interest and sovereignty. Rise in money laundering is a consequence of such men who hold important public offices in Pakistan, while their families and assets are located abroad and they hold these posts merely because of immense financial benefits devoid of any long term commitment to this country.
Ali Malik Tariq
Lahore
