Overview
Islamabad — The federal government’s ambitious plan to induct highly qualified professionals from Pakistan’s private sector into the top bureaucratic positions of key economic ministries has hit a major roadblock. Despite a clear directive from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the involvement of a high-profile selection committee — as well as the hiring of an expensive foreign consultancy firm — the search for suitable candidates has so far proven unsuccessful.
The deadline given by the Prime Minister to finalize and shortlist potential candidates for the positions of Principal Accounting Officers (PAOs) — who would also serve as federal secretaries — has now expired, with no formal progress made on the matter.
Prime Minister’s Initiative to Reform Bureaucracy
In an effort to bring fresh perspectives, efficiency, and modern management practices into government operations, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif initiated a plan to appoint seven federal secretaries from the private sector. These appointments were to be made in ministries central to Pakistan’s economic performance and investment environment, including:
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Petroleum
- Ministry of Power
- Ministry of Planning
- Ministry of Industries and Production
- Ministry of National Food Security
- Ministry of Vocational Education and Training
Currently, these ministries are dominated by officers from the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) — the traditional bureaucratic elite. The Prime Minister’s vision was to break this monopoly by introducing professionals with strong industry experience, technical expertise, and a track record in managing large-scale projects or organizations.
The Recruitment Process and Committee Meetings
According to informed government sources, a special selection committee was formed to identify and approach suitable candidates from the private sector. This committee conducted several meetings with industry experts, senior executives, and seasoned professionals, particularly focusing on the energy sector, given Pakistan’s chronic energy crisis and the pressing need for reforms in the petroleum and power divisions.
In addition to the committee’s efforts, the federal government engaged an international consultancy firm, Et Kearney, at a significant cost to assist in identifying and evaluating potential candidates. The consultancy was also tasked with helping finalize investment plans for Gulf countries — a separate but related economic priority. However, sources indicate that no tangible progress has been made on either front.
Deadline Expires Without Results
The Prime Minister had set a three-week deadline for the Establishment Division to shortlist panels of candidates for the PAO positions. This deadline has now passed without any official announcement or formal progress.
According to insiders, the inability to find suitable candidates stems from multiple factors:
- Skill Gap in Policy Understanding – While many candidates possessed strong corporate or technical backgrounds, they lacked adequate knowledge of government functions, bureaucratic processes, and policy formulation.
- Job Security Concerns – Some potential appointees expressed hesitation about joining government service due to political instability and uncertainty regarding their tenure, especially in the event of a change in political leadership.
- Mismatch Between Roles and Expertise – In some cases, the candidates’ strengths were highly specialized for corporate settings but not easily adaptable to the public sector’s complex regulatory and policymaking environment.
Why Private Sector Inclusion Matters
The move to induct private sector experts into bureaucratic roles is part of a broader global trend where governments seek to integrate corporate efficiency with public accountability. In countries like Singapore, the UAE, and Malaysia, such appointments have been credited with:
- Accelerating economic reforms
- Improving investment climates
- Reducing administrative bottlenecks
- Introducing innovative policy solutions
In Pakistan’s case, the hope was that industry veterans — especially those with experience in finance, energy, and industrial development — could help navigate the country out of its economic challenges, attract foreign investment, and modernize outdated bureaucratic practices.
Resistance from the Traditional Bureaucracy
One of the unspoken challenges in this process is the institutional resistance from within the existing bureaucracy. Officers from the Pakistan Administrative Service have long dominated the upper echelons of government ministries. While many PAS officers are experienced in governance, critics argue that the system often lacks the specialized knowledge required for complex technical ministries, such as energy, finance, or planning.
Bringing in outsiders to head these divisions represents a cultural shift that some insiders may view as a threat to their traditional influence.
Concerns Over Continuity and Political Volatility
The private sector thrives on stability, long-term planning, and measurable performance metrics. In contrast, Pakistan’s political landscape has been characterized by frequent changes in leadership and policy priorities. Potential candidates from the private sector reportedly raised concerns over:
- The short duration of political tenures
- The possibility of their projects being abandoned mid-way due to political turnover
- Lack of institutional safeguards to ensure continuity of reforms
These factors made many high-caliber professionals reluctant to risk their established careers for uncertain government roles.
The Government’s Advertisement and Public Outreach
The Establishment Division had earlier published an online advertisement calling for applications from the private sector for the role of federal secretaries in economic ministries. The job posting highlighted:
- Competitive compensation packages
- Opportunities to influence national economic policy
- The chance to contribute to long-term national development
However, despite these incentives, the response did not yield candidates who met the technical, managerial, and policy requirements set by the government.
Et Kearney’s Role and Limited Progress
Et Kearney, the foreign consultancy firm hired for the selection process, was also entrusted with preparing investment plans for Gulf countries. This was part of Pakistan’s broader economic diplomacy efforts to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) from the Middle East.
Sources confirm that despite the consultancy’s involvement, no substantial progress has been made in finalizing these plans. This lack of results has raised concerns about the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of outsourcing such critical tasks to foreign firms without achieving concrete outcomes.
Impact on Economic Governance
The inability to fill these key bureaucratic positions with skilled private sector professionals has potential consequences:
- Ministries may continue to operate under the status quo, with little innovation or reform in policy-making.
- Economic decision-making could remain slow and reactive rather than proactive.
- Pakistan’s ability to meet international investor expectations and address structural economic weaknesses could be compromised.
The Prime Minister’s Next Steps
Despite the setback, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is reportedly determined to continue the search for qualified candidates. He has instructed relevant ministries to:
- Identify ongoing and potential investment projects that could appeal to both domestic and foreign investors.
- Reassess the selection criteria to make the positions more appealing to private sector professionals.
- Explore the possibility of offering contract-based roles with clear performance-linked incentives and protections against political disruptions.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
The government’s failure to meet its initial deadline underscores the complexity of reforming Pakistan’s bureaucratic structure. While the idea of integrating private sector expertise remains attractive, its implementation requires:
- Robust institutional frameworks to protect appointees from political volatility.
- Tailored training programs to familiarize private sector leaders with public administration.
- Stakeholder buy-in from the existing bureaucracy to avoid resistance and sabotage.
If successfully implemented, this approach could inject much-needed dynamism, innovation, and global best practices into Pakistan’s governance. If not, it risks becoming another well-intentioned reform that falters due to poor execution and structural resistance.
Conclusion
The federal government’s attempt to bring in private sector talent to head Pakistan’s most crucial economic ministries has, for now, stalled. While the vision was ambitious and aligned with international best practices, the reality of Pakistan’s political and bureaucratic environment — combined with candidate concerns over job continuity and policy stability — has prevented meaningful progress.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s reform agenda will now depend on whether the government can address these structural challenges, offer competitive and secure terms, and convince top-tier professionals that they can make a lasting impact without jeopardizing their careers. Until then, Pakistan’s economic governance will likely remain in the hands of its traditional bureaucratic elite, for better or worse.
