ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) President Ahmed Bilal Mehboob has praised the ‘innovative, serious and productive’ work at Prime Minister Officer (PMO) for the evaluation of the performance of the ministries.
Ahmed Bilal Mehboob elaborated in a Twitter thread, “While a lot of wild allegations, counter-allegations, mudslinging, media war & non-sensical debate is going on in our political & governance landscape, it is heartening to see something innovative, serious and productive happening right in the PMO.”
He said that the performance of 41 federal government divisions is being scientifically evaluated by a high powered panel consisting of some of the best and brightest public officials against 426 targets to be achieved by June 2022 and 488 by June 2023.
Mehboob said that the targets were set in agreements signed between respective ministers and PM Imran Khan about a year ago.
“Moving bureaucracies is never easy. From POTUS Nixon to our own ZAB, all complained about bureaucratic inaction. Now we see something being done about improving performance.”
“What sets this exercise apart is the fine details with which quarterly reviews are conducted sitting face to face across the table sorting out ‘dependencies’ with other ministries, pending legal proceedings and policy bottlenecks.”
Performance of 41 Fed Govt divs is being scientifically evaluated by a high powered panel consisting of some of the best & brightest public officials against 426 targets to be achieved by Jun22 & 488 by Jun23. (2/n)
— احمد بلال محبوبAhmedBilalMehboob (@ABMPildat) January 18, 2022
“The exchange, though civil and polite, not only tests frontiers of reviewers’ knowledge anchored in long experience but also the grasp of issues by concerned fed secretaries. I must acknowledge that I was impressed with both when I was provided with a ‘ring-side’ view of the exercise recently.”
“Led by Shehzad Arbab, Special Assistant to PM on Establishment and ably supported by Jehanzeb Khan, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, other senior officials and young professionals, the exercise gives you hope for a better tomorrow.”
“Having been exposed to the experience, my sincere advice to all political parties is to scout for & induct competent former senior civil servants like Shehzad Arbab to their ranks and make use of their expertise to plan for improved governance for tomorrow, if not for today,” said PILDAT president.
“Which are best & worst performing federal government ministries? Will soon know as Imran Khan asked to make the public result of 1st annual review in July 2022. This has incentivised ministries to perform. Rigorous quarterly reviews continue with as many as 6 divisions reviewed per day,” concluded Ahmed Bilal Mehboob.