Bengali’s Resignation
The federal government has issued a formal response to economist Dr. Kaiser Bengali’s criticism regarding its ‘rightsizing’ plans, which aim to streamline government positions and reduce expenditures.
The government’s rejoinder comes in the wake of Dr. Bengali’s resignation and his public criticism of the rightsizing approach.
According to the government, Dr. Bengali’s remarks reflect a misunderstanding or miscommunication regarding the scope and details of the rightsizing initiative.
In its statement, the government addressed Dr. Bengali’s concerns, emphasizing that his observations appear to stem from a lack of proper communication or an inadequate understanding of the rightsizing recommendations recently approved by the Committee.
Dr. Bengali had criticized the government’s approach, alleging that it unfairly targeted lower-level employees for layoffs while sparing higher-ranking officials. He argued that this strategy was an ineffective means of cost-cutting and did not address the broader scope of government positions.
The government’s statement clarified that the rightsizing measures are not limited to lower grades but encompass all government positions from BS-1 to BS-22.
It detailed that the process is designed to address an estimated 60,000 surplus positions across various grades, including BS-17 to BS-22. This comprehensive approach means that the rightsizing exercise will impact positions at all levels, not just those in the lower BS-1 to BS-16 range.
Furthermore, the government pointed out that, among the six ministries currently under review as part of the rightsizing plan, one has been approved for abolition, while two others are undergoing mergers.
This restructuring implies that positions at higher grades, including at least two BS-22 positions and several BS-17 to BS-21 positions, will be abolished as part of the reforms.
The statement also mentioned that the Rightsizing Committee is evaluating various government entities, including ministries, attached departments, autonomous bodies, and state-owned enterprises, to ensure a thorough and effective restructuring process.
Since taking office, the federal government has been committed to cutting expenditures to stabilize and improve the economy.
However, Dr. Bengali has expressed concerns about the overall handling of economic policies, suggesting that the government’s approach to rightsizing and cost-cutting might not be as effective as intended.
The government’s clarification aims to address these concerns and reassure stakeholders that the rightsizing initiative is designed to be comprehensive and equitable, targeting inefficiencies across all levels of government.
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