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WHEN two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled, goes an African proverb. We in Pakistan do not have elephants other than those caged in zoos, and grasslands are also a rarity. So the Pakistani version of this proverb would have to be: no matter who fights, it is always the civil servant that gets trampled.
The Model Town incident has all the hallmarks of a case where state machinery was used by political demagogues to settle personal scores. Nevertheless, all efforts are being made by those in power to blame the carnage on guess who? Yes, the voiceless civil servants — the policemen.
The ill-timed removal of the IG Islamabad during the ongoing protests in that city does not seem to be ‘business as usual’ either. Similarly, a couple of years ago, the secretary establishment was removed from his position for complying with court orders when the government locked horns with the Supreme Court over the transfer of the officer investigating the Haj scam.
The sacking of Nadra chairman Tariq Malik and his subsequent resignation under pressure tells the same story. Such is the state of affairs that the civil servant comes under fire even for matters as trivial as the prime minister being stuck in traffic for a few minutes.
The bureaucracy cannot subscribe to colonial-era rules.
In February this year, the DSP traffic Lahore was actually suspended for this very reason. I wonder if the prime minister ever spares a thought for those rendered immobile on the roads whenever there is so-called VIP movement.
What is common to all of the above cases, apart from the arrogance of the rulers, is the fact that civil servants have been victimised. The maxim for a promising career in civil service has now become to neither say no, nor speak up.
According to the Esta Code, the bible of civil service in Pakistan, a civil servant should be unbiased, non-political and non-partisan. Further, the Esta Code proscribes lobbying and grouping but this can be achieved only in an ideal world. When everyone has a voice then why should the bureaucracy, the second largest institution of the state after the army, be mute and open to persecution?
Lawyers have bar councils, journalists have organisations that voice their concerns, clerks have associations, labourers rally together via labour unions, the army has a mouthpiece in the form of the ISPR which puts its point of view across by issuing craftily worded and immaculately timed statements while even the judiciary has established its independence.
There is a need for a union of bureaucrats, a forum which may not exert pressure but could at least be the voice of the bureaucracy taking a stand against being treated as personal slaves by the rulers.
The process of evolution entails the development of institutions to suit changing needs; the British-era bureaucracy was different from the current dispensation — both in scope and style of governance. A bureaucracy meant for a democratic era cannot subscribe to the same rules as one meant for a colonial era. Pakistan’s civil servants must form a union, one with a quasi-political and quasi-official status. This can help provide the platform for bureaucrats to adopt a just stance rather than throwing in the towel at the whims of vested interests.
The proposed forum could also highlight the government’s performance and encourage self-accountability in the bureaucracy by issuing quarterly reports on quality of governance. It can also provide a somewhat secure forum for whistle-blowers; currently the system is designed to single them out and make an example of them. Even press leaks can be made through this forum if unscrupulous elements try to manoeuvre state machinery for personal benefits. Shady deals causing loss to the national exchequer can be averted by harnessing public opinion.
It’s time the bureaucracy goes political, for it is better to be overtly political in the greater interest of the state rather than being covertly political for individual interests and undermining state institutions.
Lastly a caveat: the formation of such a forum can lead to unfair manipulation as well but one can be reasonably sure that the collective wisdom of civil servants from different service groups will prevent such tendencies from playing out.
The forum should be structured in a democratic manner that transcends the bureaucracy’s usual preoccupation with hierarchy. It should be organised as a collection of colleagues rather than that of subordinates and bosses.
Since successive governments seem to have no forthcoming reforms aimed at bureaucracy’s empowerment, the bureaucracy must get together on its own by forming a forum to resuscitate a failing institution. In the words of Munir Niazi, Awaz de ke dekh lo shaed woh mil hi jaey, Warna ye umr bhar ka safar raaegan to hai (Seek him out, perhaps you’ll find him, The journey of life is futile anyhow).
The writer is a former civil servant.
Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014
