The Islamabad High Court (IHC) delivered a blistering critique of the capital’s bureaucracy on Tuesday, with a judge remarking that top officials serve everyone except the general public and warning that a government minister may be summoned if a critical staffing shortage in revenue offices is not resolved.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani expressed strong dissatisfaction during a hearing into a case concerning private individuals allegedly performing official duties in Islamabad’s revenue offices, known as Patwar Khanas. He lamented the conduct of senior administrators, stating they appear to prioritize government bodies over the citizens they are meant to serve.
‘Everything gets done for everyone except the general public,’ Justice Kayani observed. ‘The Chief Commissioner and DC should also serve the people, not only government departments. These officers just make ordinary citizens run in circles.’
The judge further cautioned that if the officials are incapable of performing their duties, they should admit it. ‘If they can’t do their job, they should say so – we’ll issue the necessary orders ourselves,’ he declared.
Expressing deep frustration with the administrative paralysis, Justice Kayani suggested that senior bureaucrats seemed unable to manage the situation. ‘It seems even the secretaries are incapable of handling the issue; we might have to summon the minister,’ he commented.
The court pointedly addressed the financial excuses for the inaction. ‘The treasury is empty when it comes to filling Patwari posts, yet no one is willing to take responsibility,’ the judge added, asserting the court’s independence by stating it does not operate under the Establishment Division and that the ‘federal government must fulfill its own obligations.’
During the proceedings, State Counsel Abdul Rehman presented reports from the Establishment Division and the Ministry of Interior. He informed the court that both departments had greenlit the appointment of 35 vacant Patwari positions, but the process has stalled pending financial approval from the Ministry of Finance.