Eyab Ahmed
‘You have to stand guard over the development and maintenance of Islamic democracy, Islamic social justice and the equality of manhood in your own native soil’, said Quaid E Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
“Civil Service/Bureaucracy is a professional body of officials permanent, paid and skilled.” -Finer
The Bureaucracy constitutes the educated and professionally trained class of persons which helps the political executive in carrying out its functions.
Bureaucracy forms life blood of any government and it serves as a black box where the public demands and supports are transformed into actions and policies.
The bureaucracy consists of 12 directorates that provide vital office and secretariat related duties to the Government of Pakistan. The provincial bureaucracies are headed by the respective Chief Secretaries of KPK, Sindh, Punjab and Baluchistan. The highest attainable rank for an officer who serves in the country’s bureaucracy is BPS-22 grade.
The objective of good governance is to achieve harmony of society, rule of law, economic stability and improved life standards of people and this is done by devising policies. Policy is taken as a choice made by the individuals or groups of individuals that define a line of action.
A civil servant is the servant to the public whose office should remain open for the public and he should always be at the service for the public, which is the actual definition of the civil servant. There isthe need for the civil servants who are enthusiastic about the leadership qualities along with a bright vision and courage to take all the decisions without any political disruptions. Our Prime Minister Imran Khan is keen to promote such officers who have a vision to make Pakistan rise and to serve the people of the nation. This should be the aim and vision of every civil servant.
One of a very few examples of that good governance that I can quote in my article today is of the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Mr. Hamza Shafqaat who is from the group of Pakistan Administrative service (PAS) and is one of the leading face amongst the civil servants of Pakistan. Hamza Shafqaat took charge as the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad on 11th July 2018 and started to work as a caring and effectiveDC of Islamabad. He is the first deputy commissioner who has made himself available for the citizens of Islamabad on social media sites (Facebook and twitter). Many hundreds of people on daily basis forward their complaints while mentioning the DC Islamabad and he not only responds to the complaints he also resolves those issues and solve the problems of the citizens of Islamabad. Hamza is no doubt a fresh, friendly, and people’s civil servant.
‘If a dog dies hungry on the banks of the River Euphrates, Umar will be responsible for dereliction of duty.’ Said Hazrat Umar (R.A).
The Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan started many new initiatives including tree plantation, building the homes for the homeless (Panahgaahs), crackdown against the electricity and sui gas theft, Crackdown against the drugs, and much more. While, living in the capital Islamabad, what are the implementations on the above initiatives for Islamabad by the administration? Let’s have a look below:
Panahgaahs:
The ICT Administration built the panahgaahs in Islamabad under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat and I had a chance to visit the different panahgaahs in Islamabad, I felt like it was my own place with a friendly environment, clean living spaces, and well-cooked food which was exemplary. Quality food for the sahoor and iftaars in Ramadan Kareem was never seen anywhere before in Islamabad.
Tree Plantation and Forest Retrieval:
In order to save our climate from global warming and to keep the country clean, we need to plant as much trees as we can along with the retrieval of forests. Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat fulfilled this task with the plantation for more than 10 lakh trees within Islamabad city which has been audited by a company and it has been found that 1 million plus trees have been planted in Islamabad which will bring a big change in our climate and environment in the future. Islamabad always stands beautiful and pleasant in comparison to many metropolitan cities of Pakistan and trees are source for this healthy environment.
Clean Islamabad Drive:
Cleanliness is the part of our faith and it is the duty of every citizen to keep our city and the country clean. The ICT administration started clean and green Islamabad drive in which many new initiatives are taken to keep the capital clean, ICT administration imposed heavy fines on littering on the road. Bin Bags are to be established on different spots of Islamabad as well along with the ban of usage of plastic which will lead to a clean and hygienic environment for Islamabad.
Law and order maintenance:
Maintain the law and order situation for the capital was very important, if we look into the past, more than 35 protests in an average took place in the capital. Since past one year the protests have been reduced in numbers and whenever the protestors are on road, every time we see the deputy commissioner Islamabad going to the protestors to negotiate with them and action is being taken on their right demands which has reduced the protests for Islamabad. On the other hand, the crime rate has been reduced to zero as the people have direct access to the Deputy Commissioner and they complaint directly to the DC if any crime is to be seen either within any department under ICT Administration or outside.
Anti Drug Drive:
Usage of drugs was the most difficult task to be controlled in our city, and our Prime Minister Imran Khan personally took interest in the elimination of drugs, in which the youth of was involved. Anti Drug Drive was launched in Islamabad by the DC Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat, and the DC himself visited several schools, colleges and universities to address the youngsters and told them about the harmful effects caused by different drugs including Ice, meth, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy and others. Warning messages against the menace of drugs were placed within the schools, colleges and universities. Hundreds of drug dealers and suppliers were arrested from the city. Anti Drug Task force is made under the supervision of DC Islamabad whose mission was to create awareness against the drugs and to spot the drug doers and suppliers, to get them arrested. Usage of drugs has been reduced a lot in Islamabad after the crackdown against the drugs.
Management on Ramadan:
Previously, as the holy month of Ramazan was upon us, the vendors and shopkeepers used to raise the price of the grocery and other goods. This year, DC Rate list was announced and established by the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Mr. Hamza Shafqaat, it was not just announced but it was practically seen on ground. Every shopkeeper and vendor was forced to implement the DC rate list, those who were found violating the DC rate list were imposed with heavy fines. On the other hand,DC Islamabad and DC Rawalpindi jointly visited Sabzi Mandi Islamabad. Auction took place in Sabzi mandi to maintain the rate list and it was monitored. A joint rate list for the period of Ramadan was issued. To make prices more affordable, the Ramadan bazaars were strengthened by extra supply at doorsteps. Joint teams of Islamabad and Rawalpindi monitored the auction proceedings on daily basis.
Management on Eid:
Every year people faced a lot of traffic jam and accidents of the bikers who used to do one wheeling on Eid. This year, the traffic was personally managed by the DC Islamabad and he went to different areas where the traffic was to be stuck the most and made the traffic plan along with the ITP. It was the first time that the citizens didn’t complain for the traffic jam and accidents. Hundreds of bikers were arrested for doing one wheeling as well. As seen on twitter, people mentioned the DC Islamabad on their place of traffic jam and the action was taken immediately and the traffic team was sent to the place people complained about. Other than traffic management, the security plans of Eidgaahs and mosques were managed perfectly.
Food Inspections:
Unhygienic food leads to life taking and infectious diseases, earlier on there was no check and balance on the food, as the DC Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat took charge food inspections were started all over Islamabad, many factories, grocery shops, meat shops and super stores were sealed and heavily fined for selling unhygienic food.
Petrol Pump Inspection
People used to complain a lot about the fraud in petrol pumps during the filling time, petrol pump inspection also started by ICT Administration in which the petrol pumps selling low quality fuel were sealed and heavily fined.
Transport fare control:
The fare of the public transport was not affordable for a common citizen with low wages, public transport centers were checked and those who were charging high fare were imposed with heavy fines. A defined fare is established for the public transport which is easy to pay for a common man.
Crackdown against Sui-gas and electricity theft:
Sui-gas and electricity theft were the major issue for whole Pakistan, as we have the shortage of supply of electricity and gas. The ICT Administration started a crackdown against the sui-gas and electricity theft and arrested hundreds of people involved in the theft. The sui-gas and electricity theft has now been totally halted in the capital.
Child labor elimination:
The main causes of child labor are poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, urbanization, family background and orphans. Common forms of child labor in Pakistan are in agricultural, glass bangles, surgical, begging profession. DC Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat personally took action for the child labor elimination and many of the children are now sent to different schools and orphanage to make them study at their growing age. Child labor is not to be seen in Islamabad now.
Best polio campaign of Pakistan:
Polio campaign was started in whole Pakistan but some people were in a doubt about the polio drops supplied in Pakistan. The best polio campaign amongst the whole Pakistan was done in Islamabad under the supervision of DC Islamabad, in which the deputy commissioner himself took the drops of polio in front of the parents and children for their satisfaction on the polio drops and as the people were satisfied, it was Islamabad where the majority number of children took the polio drops.
Bureaucracies form an integral part of the government and they do a lot more than just execution of policies. Pakistan’s bureaucracy in the initial two and half decades had competency and capability to take decisions in the interests of the masses. In the years to follow this machinery turned extremely rusty and incompetent because of the regular interference of the prevailing regimes and the civil institutions remained highly damaged. Politics of interests has left the administrative machinery in an ailing condition.
Contrary to that, Hamza Shafqaat has given to the people of Islamabad, rule of law and protection, transparent civil government, responsive civil service, consulted the stakeholders to understand the different interests, provided the opportunity for citizen of Islamabad to maintain, enhance, and generally improve their well-being. Islamabad is a bustling and contemporary metropolitan city. Hamza as the administrator of Islamabad, provided us with propitious, stupendous, and outstanding city life that every Pakistani deserve.
