Ahsan Iqbal calls for a “SMART” civil service to meet 21st-century challenges

29 Oct 2025

ISLAMABAD

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s review of civil service reform proposals from a high-level committee chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal. The committee, formed in July 2025, met over a dozen times to develop around 50 recommendations aimed at transitioning Pakistan’s bureaucracy to a ‘smart civil service’ capable of addressing 21st-century challenges like digital governance, climate resilience, and economic transformation. This initiative builds on earlier discussions, including a April 2025 meeting where Iqbal emphasized rethinking the 1973 civil service model to break ‘barriers of self-preservation’ and adapt to an empowered, informed citizenry demanding higher service delivery.

Ahsan Iqbal calls for a “SMART” civil service to meet 21st-century challenges

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