Shehbaz orders Pak PWD abolition

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to immediately abolish Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD) following its deteriorating performance in achieving its objectives.

While chairing a meeting, the prime minister directed officials to find alternatives to manage the development projects assigned to Pak PWD. The Prime Minister Office, a few days back had also directed the Ministry of Housing and Works to move for abolition of Pak PWD in the shortest possible time. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurengzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and others.

The decision to abolish Pak PWD, one of oldest government departments, created unrest amongst 7000 employees who are uncertain about their future. The government will work out a plan to adjust them in other departments or relieve them.

Meanwhile, a seven-member committee headed by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jehanzeb Khan has proposed to abolish some government departments or merge with others to reduce expenditures.

The deputy chairman also submitted the panels recommendations during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to reduce government’s expenses and size of the government during. The prime minister directed the committee to prepare more recommendations.

A few days after assuming office for the second time, Shehbaz had constituted a seven-member committee to reduce federal government’s expenditures. The committee members include the Federal Secretaries Cabinet Division, Finance Division, Secretary Inter Provincial Coordination, Dr Qaiser Bengali, Dr Farrukh Saleem, and Dr Muhammad Naveed Iftikhar. The committee was tasked to recommend institutional reforms and reduce the size of the federal government. It was also directed to reduce expenditures and present a practical plan to cut expenses.