Federal Secretary

Last updated

The federal secretary (also referred to as the secretary to the Government of Pakistan) is the highest-ranking position in the Government of Pakistan, occupied by the most senior civil servant in a specific ministry or division. The secretary is the administrative head of that ministry or division and oversees and enforces public policy matters. [1] [2] The authority for the creation of this post solely rests with the Cabinet of Pakistan. The position holder is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

The federal secretaries are the highest-ranking government officials in Pakistan State emblem of Pakistan.svg
The federal secretaries are the highest-ranking government officials in Pakistan

All promotions and appointments to this rank and post are directly made by the prime minister of Pakistan. [6] [7] The post of federal secretary is equivalent to that of chief secretary of a provincial government (within their respective provinces) and to the rank of General in the Pakistan Army, Air Marshal in the Pakistan Air Force, and Admiral in the Pakistan Navy. [8] [9]

Due to the importance of their respective assignments, there are twelve specific federal secretaries which are considered to be the most vital in the Government of Pakistan. These include the establishment secretary (responsible for civil service matters), finance secretary (responsible for the country's treasury), secretary to the prime minister (responsible for Prime Minister's Office), cabinet secretary (responsible for the Cabinet Division), interior secretary (responsible for law and order), commerce secretary (responsible for trade), foreign secretary (responsible for foreign relations), maritime secretary (responsible for ports and shipping), power secretary (responsible for the electricity and power sector), planning and development secretary (responsible for development projects), petroleum secretary (responsible for the petroleum sector), and industry secretary (responsible for industrial development). [10]

Powers and responsibilities

The federal secretary is the administrative head of the ministry or division, [11] and oversees all matters of policy and administration within the ministry or /division. [12]

The role of secretary is as follows: [12]

Perception and image

The federal secretaries are the most senior and experienced officers in the country and are largely considered to be the most powerful individuals in the government. [13] [14] [15] [16] Promotion to the rank of federal secretary is regarded as a very tough task given the high level of scrutiny taken into place when the promotions are done by the High Powered Selection Board (HPSB) which is chaired by the prime minister. [17] As the career service of federal secretaries and other bureaucrats are immune to the transition of political governments, they are seen as the real policy-makers who govern the country and serve as the spinal cord for the establishment. [18]

Federal secretary slots

Notable federal secretaries

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan Administrative Service</span> Civil administrative department of the government of Pakistan

The Pakistan Administrative Service, or PAS is an elite cadre of the Civil Services of Pakistan. The Pakistan Administrative Service over the years has emerged as the most consolidated and developed post-colonial institution in Pakistan, with the PAS officers of Grade 22 often seen as stronger than the federal government ministers. The service of PAS is generalist in nature and officers are assigned to different departments all across Pakistan during the course of their careers. Almost all of the country's highest-profile positions such as the Federal Secretaries, the provincial Chief Secretaries, and chairmen of top-heavy organizations like the National Highway Authority, Trading Corporation of Pakistan and State Life Insurance Corporation usually belong to the Pakistan Administrative Service.

Kamran Michael is a Pakistani politician who served as Minister for Statistics, in Abbasi cabinet from August 2017 to May 2018. He previously served as the Minister for Human Rights in the third Sharif ministry from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Michael held the cabinet portfolio of Minister for Ports and Shipping from 2013 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shafqat Mahmood</span> Pakistani politician

Shafqat Mahmood is a Pakistani bureaucrat-turned-politician who served as the Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, and Federal Minister for National History and Literary Heritage, from 20 August 2018 to 3 April 2022. Before going into politics, he served as a grade 20 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murad Saeed</span> Pakistani politician

Murad Saeed is a Pakistani politician who served as Federal Minister for Communications and Federal Minister for Postal Services from December 2018 to April 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shehryar Afridi</span> Pakistani politician

Shehryar Khan Afridi is a Pakistani politician who served as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Special Committee on Kashmir, in office from 13 May 2020 to April 2022. He served as the Minister of State for Interior from 31 August 2018 to 18 April 2019. He had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 till January 2023. Previously, he was also a member of the National Assembly from June 2013 to May 2018. He is serving as the Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) since 18 April 2019. He was also given an additional charge of the Ministry of Narcotics Control after the death of Ali Mohammad Mahar.

Marriyum Aurangzeb is a Pakistani politician who currently serves as Senior Minister in the Government of Punjab, in office since March 2024.

Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani was a Pakistani politician who was the Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh for Constituency PS-16 (Jacobabad-IV) from his election in June 2013 and the Provincial Minister of Sindh for Planning and Development since August 2016 until his death in February 2018. Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani was the chief of 36 tribes. Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani was the son of Sardar Noor Muhammad Khan Bijarani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fawad Hasan Fawad</span> Pakistani government official, civil servant, diplomat and poet (born 1960)

Fawad Hasan Fawad is a Pakistani public policy practitioner, former civil servant, diplomat and poet who served in BPS-22 grade as the Principal Secretary to two Prime Ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi; and later as caretaker Federal Minister for Privatisation and Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Establishment Secretary</span> Post in federal government of Pakistan

The Establishment Secretary of Pakistan is the Federal Secretary for the Establishment Division and is in charge of the transfers, postings as well as promotions in the country's civil service. The position holder is a BPS-22 Officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service. The Establishment Secretary reports directly to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The current Establishment Secretary is Inamullah Dharejo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jawad Rafique Malik</span> Pakistani civil servant

Jawad Rafique Malik is an officer of Pakistani civil service in BPS-22 grade currently serving as Federal Secretary of the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division. Hailing from Lahore, Malik belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and is batchmates with Fawad Hasan Fawad, Rizwan Ahmed, Sikandar Sultan Raja and Shoaib Mir Memon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikandar Sultan Raja</span> Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan

Sikandar Sultan Raja is a retired Pakistani civil servant who has been the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan since January 2020. Raja belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and is batchmates with Rizwan Ahmed, Hussain Asghar, Fawad Hasan Fawad and Jawad Rafique Malik.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Secretary of Punjab (Pakistan)</span> High-ranking bureaucrat of Punjab province in Pakistan

The Chief Secretary Punjab, also referred to as CS Punjab, is the bureaucratic chief and highest-ranking official of the Government of Punjab, Pakistan. The appointment of the Chief Secretary is made directly by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The position of Chief Secretary is equivalent to the rank of Federal Secretary and the position holder usually belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nasir Mahmood Khosa</span> Pakistani bureaucrat

Nasir Mahmood Khosa is a retired Pakistani civil servant from Dera Ghazi Khan who belonged to the Pakistan Administrative Service and served in BPS-22 grade, the highest attainable rank for a serving officer. He was promoted to the rank of Federal Secretary in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grade 22</span> Senior most civil servants of Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Grade 22 is the highest attainable rank for a Civil Servant in Pakistan. Grade 22 is equal to a 3-star rank of the Pakistan Armed Forces. With over five hundred thousand civil servants and bureaucrats in Pakistan, only a few dozen officers serve in BPS-22 grade at a given time. Hence, not even 1% of the country's civil servants and/or bureaucrats make it to the highest rank. Officers serving in BPS-22 grade are largely considered to be the most influential individuals in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fawad Chaudhry</span> Pakistani politician

Fawad Ahmed Hussain Chaudhry is a Pakistani politician who served as Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, in office since 14 April 2021 to 10 April 2022. On 24 May 2023 announced he is taking "break" from politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imran Khan ministry</span> Cabinet of Pakistan (2018–2022)

The Imran Khan ministry was the government of Pakistan which was formed by Imran Khan following his successful election as Prime Minister of Pakistan by the National Assembly. The cabinet had 25 federal ministers, 4 ministers of state and 4 advisors, most of whom assumed office on 20 August 2018.

The first 100 days of Imran Khan's prime ministership began with his swearing-in ceremony on 18 August 2018 as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan – shortly after the oath-taking of the 15th National Assembly of Pakistan on 13 August, and the elected parliament's vote of confidence for Khan's premiership on 17 August. The 100th day of his prime ministership was 25 November 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naveed Kamran Baloch</span> Pakistani civil servant

Naveed Kamran Baloch is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade at the top bureaucratic offices of Cabinet Secretary and Finance Secretary of Pakistan. Baloch belonged to the Pakistan Administrative Service and was promoted to the rank of Federal Secretary in October 2017. After retirement from active civil service as one of the senior-most federal secretaries in the country, Baloch was appointed as the executive director to World Bank.

Iqbal Hussain Durrani is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the National Security Secretary of Pakistan. Durrani belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and is the son-in-law of former Chief Minister of Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah. History was made when Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2019 promoted both Durrani as well as his wife, Pakistan Administrative Service officer Naheed Shah Durrani, to grade 22; as it was the first time in the country's bureaucratic history that both husband and wife were promoted together to the elite rank of Federal Secretary.

Maj (r) Azam Suleman Khan is a retired Pakistani civil servant who serves as the Provincial Ombudsman of Punjab. He previously served in BPS-22 grade as the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, Chief Secretary Punjab and as Chief Secretary Sindh. Khan was promoted to the rank of Federal Secretary in February 2017 by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

References

  1. ↑ "First batch of newly promoted grade 22 officers meets PM". Pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  2. ↑ "Promotions: PM appoints 15 federal secretaries - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "PAKISTAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE - CSA". csa.edu.pk. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  4. ↑ Asad, Malik (21 February 2017). "Top bureaucrats promoted to grade 22". Dawn.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Top 6 bureaucrats promoted to BS-22". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  6. ↑ Siddiqui, Naveed (13 February 2017). "Tehmina Janjua becomes first woman to be appointed Pakistan's foreign secretary". Dawn.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  7. ↑ Shahzad, Mirza Khurram (2015-06-04). "Analysis: Promotion dilemma of bureaucracy". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
  8. ↑ "Shahid Mehmood becomes new finance secretary - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "PM approves major reshuffle in federal govt posts - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  10. ↑ "Top 6 bureaucrats promoted to BS-22". www.thenews.com.pk. November 19, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Cabinet Secretariat". cabinet.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  12. 1 2 "Cabinet Secretariat". cabinet.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "Major changes in bureaucracy, secretaries replaced - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk.
  14. ↑ "PM appoints Cabinet, Establishment secretaries". Pakistantoday.com.pk. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  15. ↑ "All is not well between country's two top offices". Thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  16. ↑ "Lobbying on for post of finance secretary - The Express Tribune". Tribune.com.pk. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  17. ↑ Asad, Malik (7 October 2017). "Selection board drops top bureaucrats for promotions". Dawn.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  18. ↑ "Top bureaucratic promotions in limbo over PML-N internal strife". Daily Times. October 1, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.