The Cabinet Committee on Rightsizing of the Federal Government held a meeting today, chaired virtually by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb, from Davos, Switzerland. The meeting focused on streamlining government operations and improving efficiency across key federal departments.
The Rightsizing Committee was briefed by the Revenue Division on measures taken to optimize its operations. These included the abolition of 158 posts (BS-18 and below) and the designation of 27 posts (BS-16 to 20) as “dying posts,” in line with a Cabinet decision made on August 27, 2024. However, the Revenue Division also proposed a one-time exemption from the requirement to abolish 60% of vacant posts within the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) field formations, citing operational challenges.
The Revenue Division’s presentation highlighted the FBR’s transformation plan, which was approved by the Prime Minister on September 19, 2024. The plan focuses on modernizing the Customs Department through automation and technology integration, including initiatives like Faceless Customs Assessment and Examination. Federal Minister Aurangzeb acknowledged the challenges faced by the FBR due to years of under-investment and emphasized the importance of adopting technological advancements to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
The meeting also included a detailed presentation from the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety, which outlined its mandates, organizational structure, budget allocations, expenditures, and the impact of its programs on public services. The Ministry highlighted overlapping functions across its departments, which have hindered the scaling of its impact on public policy outcomes. While commending the progress made, the Minister stressed the need for a more integrated approach to improve public service delivery.
To address these issues, the Minister tasked a sub-committee of the Rightsizing Committee with conducting a comprehensive review of both the Revenue Division and the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety. The sub-committee will assess the structure, functions, and efficiencies of these federal entities and identify opportunities to enhance public service outcomes in line with the committee’s mandate.
