Report: Foreign talent to compensate Pakistan's inept officials

Report: Foreign talent to compensate Pakistan's inept officials

The choice was made to back the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the premier civil-military organization established the previous year with the goal of attracting foreign investment.

The five-year contract with the international consulting companies will replace Pakistani officials who are determined to be deficient in project planning and implementation.

According to a media source, Pakistan's Cabinet has loosened regulations for the hiring of foreign consulting companies to compensate for inexperienced bureaucrats and expedite official attempts to attract investment for different projects in the financially challenged nation from the Gulf and other countries.

The choice was made to back the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the premier civil-military organization established the previous year with the goal of attracting foreign investment. The Express Tribune claims that in order to enhance the SIFC and enable it to prepare different projects before presenting them to foreign investors, the Cabinet loosened the legislative framework around public procurement and hired international consulting companies.

According to government sources cited in the publication, the international consulting companies would be employed for a period of five years to replace Pakistani officials who are deemed deficient in project planning and implementation. The judgment will, however, adversely affect the bureaucracy's ability to function and the SIFC's ability to get high-quality help.

According to a senior government source on Saturday, the Cabinet accepted a summary via circulation based on the SIFC's recommendation to give exemption because of Pakistan's federal bureaucracy's inadequate capabilities. In the event that the summary is circulated, the normal cabinet meeting approves it without debate.

According to the sources, Pakistan was finding it difficult to get projects ready for investment from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom because of an incompetent bureaucracy. The event occurred one week after Pakistan presented Saudi Arabia with very attractive returns in exchange for a USD 5 billion investment.

After presenting Islamabad's preparation in comparison to previous times, the Saudi delegation expressed appreciation for the government's hard work and joy. The Saudi group was significantly more prepared than the Pakistani one, and the bureaucracy lacks some necessary training.

The appointment of generalists to the positions of economic ministry secretary is one factor contributing to the absence of an efficient and competent bureaucracy. After gaining experience on the job, these bureaucrats—the majority of whom are Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officers—move to any other ministry.

Without the necessary skill set, a federal secretary may be appointed at any time to the positions of secretary of finance, secretary of power, secretary of planning, secretary of the board of investment, as well as secretary of petroleum.