Prime Minister directs completion of pending recommendations within a month to improve efficiency, cut expenditures, and strengthen public sector performance.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to expedite the implementation of the federal government’s right-sizing reforms, emphasizing the need to enhance efficiency, improve institutional performance, and reduce unnecessary expenditures.
The directive came during a high-level review meeting held on Tuesday to assess progress on the government’s ongoing reform agenda.
Chairing the meeting, the prime minister instructed the right-sizing committee to complete and submit its remaining recommendations within one month.
The initiative is aimed at streamlining government operations, eliminating inefficiencies, and ensuring optimal utilization of public resources.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office Media Wing, Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the importance of integrating modern technology and strengthening training programs across public sector institutions.
He said that adopting innovative management practices and digital solutions would significantly improve the productivity and effectiveness of government departments.
The prime minister reiterated that eliminating redundant positions and unnecessary posts remains a central pillar of the government’s reform strategy.
He stressed that these measures are essential to creating a leaner and more efficient administrative structure capable of delivering better services to citizens.
The meeting was attended by key cabinet members, including Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Minister Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, Adviser on Privatization Muhammad Ali, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, and senior government officials.
During the briefing, officials informed the prime minister that several institutions, including the Utility Stores Corporation, Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD), and Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO), had already been closed under the right-sizing program. These actions, they said, had generated significant savings for the national treasury.
Shehbaz Sharif also directed authorities to conduct an independent third-party audit of all institutions closed and positions abolished under the reform measures to ensure transparency and accountability.
Officials further noted that federal government spending as a percentage of GDP had declined due to the reforms, while thousands of vacant positions across ministries and departments had been eliminated.
The meeting was also informed that proposals for the restructuring of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and autonomous organizations are currently under review.
In addition, participants were told that the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and First Women Bank Limited has been completed, while efforts are underway to privatize several other state-owned enterprises as part of the broader economic reform agenda.