Public Accounts Committee Bans Cash Payments to Federal Employees

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has prohibited future cash payments to federal employees.

During a meeting on 8 February 2023, at the Parliament House discussing the Ministry of Interior, the PAC informed secretaries/PAOs of any and all ministries/divisions/departments that no salaries shall be paid in cash to workers in the future, according to a directive issued by the PAC.

In other news, the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives suggested various structural reforms earlier this week to improve the hiring and promotion of public-sector personnel. One of the primary recommendations is to make the CSS examinations bilingual and offer the opportunity to take them in Urdu.

The government also suggested raising the CSS exam’s minimum education level from 14 to 16 years and developing three professional clusters depending on appropriate degrees.

Additional ideas include creating a National University of Public Policy and Administration, reinforcing the Federal Public Service Commission, and implementing a Citizen’s Charter for the time-bound delivery of public services.

The ministry wants to strengthen the establishment division’s position as a specialist HR management and organizational development agency, and enhance the quality of public service delivery, in order to overcome the growing trust gap between the state and residents.