rime Minister Imran Khan’s decision to award certificates of best performance to some of his ministers and advisers has left some stunned, particularly the ministers and advisers who have failed to make it to the PM’s list. Ministerial competitiveness aside, the exercise has raised several questions about the criteria for judging performance of ministers and their ministries, particularly in the case of Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf.

The award of certificates to 10 ministers and advisers is being seen as an attempt by the PM to create an impression that governance is improving. The award distribution ceremony took place at a time when the government is facing a governance-related crisis. The threat of a no-confidence motion is only exacerbating the situation.

The evaluation of the ministers and division heads is based on a list of 1,090 targets of which 424 were to be achieved this year. Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Establishment Arbab Shahzad evaluated the ministries’ performance in terms of the achievements the ministries claimed.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, vice president of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), has since objected to the criteria through a letter to Arbab Shahzad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stood in 11th place as per these performance rankings.

Qureshi questioned the performance of ministers and distribution of certificates among them. He wrote that in the first quarter set in the nine-month performance agreement, the Foreign Ministry achieved 22 out of the 26 targets assigned in the first quarter of the nine-month agreed period. He claimed that the performance of his ministry in achieving targets in the first quarter reached 70 percent while the rest of the ministries could achieve only 62 percent of their targets.

National Security Division Head Dr Moeed Yusuf and Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed stood 7^th and 9^th respectively among ‘the 10 best performers.’

The ground realities about the Interior Ministry’s performance tell a different tale. People may not be aware of the achievements of Sheikh Rashid’s ministry but they do know that the Ministry of Interior is the minister’s third portfolio. Previously, he has served as minister for information and railways. Is the change in his portfolios an indicator of his performance?

Dr Moeed Yusuf, a security expert who has served the United States Institute for Peace in the US for years, was appointed by PM Imran Khan as his adviser and head of the National Security Division. A feather in his crown is the formulation of the National Security Policy 2022-26 that he claims was prepared after consultation with all stake-holders in Pakistan.

The problem with ministers like Sheikh Rashid Ahmed apparently is that they are over-occupied with the task of grilling the opposition and defending the PM and his government’s performance instead of focusing on their designated job. 

It can be argued however that the people of Pakistan are the biggest stake holders in all this as they suffer the most in case of a security crisis in Pakistan. They were not included in these consultations directly or indirectly. They are represented in the National Assembly by people they directly vote for. The parliament is clearly the forum where every law and policy should be discussed and approved.

Pakistan’s National Security Policy, however, was neither presented to the National Assembly for an open debate nor placed before any of its standing committees for a closed-door discussion. It was formulated and approved without involvement of the parliament. Still, one can appreciate some of its features that include traditional security - defence, arms, wars and diplomacy – as well as non-traditional security, that is about economic growth, welfare of citizens and human security.

In the present circumstance – the country is facing the worst-ever financial crunch – the implementation of the policy and evaluation of its outcomes beyond the horizon. For a couple of years at least it is likely to remain no more than a document.

What Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Advisor Dr Yusuf are supposed to look after at the moment is Pakistan’s internal security.

Killings of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, and Muhammad Mushtaq, a mentally challenged person in Khanewal at the hands of mobs on blasphemy accusations speaks volumes about security.

Statistics portray a bleak picture. Pakistan witnessed 207 terror attacks during 2021 that claimed 335 lives. Out of these, 107 attacks were masterminded and carried out by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and networks affiliated to it. These killed 236 people. Baloch and Sindhi militant groups carried out 77 attacks, killing 97 people.

Out of the 335 martyrs, 177 belonged to the Pakistan Army, Police, Frontier Corps and Frontier Constabulary, Rangers and some intelligence agencies.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s briefing to the media after a blast in Lahore’s bustling market too should count for evidence of his and Dr Yusuf’s performance. He said, “Terrorist attacks have increased about 35 to 38 percent since August 15, 2021.”

The most horrible fact about their performance is that the TTP is striking Pakistan’s security officials almost every day in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baloch insurgents are targetting them across Balochistan. Recently, the Baloch Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for attacks on FC Headquarters in Panjgur and Noshki.

The problem with ministers like Sheikh Rashid Ahmed apparently is that they are over-occupied with the task of grilling the opposition and defending the PM and his government’s performance instead of focusing on their designated job. It appears that the job of scolding the opposition is a major metric if not the only criterion by which the performance of ministers and their ministries is being judged.

The author is a senior journalist, teacher of journalism, writer and analyst. He tweets at @BukhariMubasher