Civil Servants Bill 2024 offers 'safety valve' to bureaucrats facing downsizing
Pakistan
Officers affected by downsizing will be posted in other departments
The bill has been referred to the standing committee for deliberation
Draft envisages special packages for officers transferred to surplus pool
Bill also outlines grievance redress mechanism
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The federal government has taken a significant step to secure the future of bureaucrats affected by institutional downsizing by tabling the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the National Assembly.
The bill has been referred to the standing committee for further deliberation.
According to the proposed amendments, civil servants affected by downsizing and placed in the surplus pool will be reassigned to equivalent posts in other departments. In cases where equivalent posts are unavailable, such bureaucrats may be appointed to lower-grade positions.
The bill prescribes that if an officer is assigned to a lower-grade post, he or she will continue to receive the salary and benefits of their previous position. Furthermore, special packages will be offered to officers transferred to the surplus pool due to institutional closures.
For those dissatisfied with the special package, the bill outlines a grievance redress mechanism. Affected officers will have seven days to present their case before a reconciliation committee.
The reconciliation committee will be required to resolve complaints within 30 days, and its decision will be binding and cannot be challenged in any court of law.
However, the bill specifies that officers dismissed from service would not be eligible for the special package.
