The Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat approved “The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2025″ on Tuesday, raising concerns about potential job losses due to government restructuring. While the Establishment Division has been instructed to minimize layoffs and redeploy surplus personnel, the committee acknowledged the possibility of redundancies and directed the development of a fair severance package for affected employees. The committee, chaired by Malik Ibrar Ahmad, MNA, met at Parliament House to discuss the bill, which provides a legal framework for the government”s rightsizing initiative. The Secretary, Establishment Division, explained that the amendment was necessary to facilitate reforms while protecting civil servants” careers through reassignments or severance packages.

The committee also swiftly approved “The National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill 2025,” aligning the act with recent cabinet directives. Additionally, “The Asaan Karobar Bill 2025” received approval, streamlining business regulations for enhanced competitiveness and investment. The Board of Investment (BOI) highlighted the bill”s aim to simplify Pakistan”s complex regulatory landscape, inherited from the British era and often cited by businesses as a major obstacle. A dedicated BOI unit will oversee regulatory modernization efforts, including mapping, simplification, and governance improvements.

Several MNAs, including Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, Ms. Nuzhat Sadiq, and Pir Ameer Ali Shah Jeelani, attended the meeting, along with movers Mr. Noor Alam Khan and Sahibzada Sibghatullah. Representatives from the Cabinet and Establishment Divisions, and other relevant departments, were also present.