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Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has revamped the top bureaucratic posts, replacing over a dozen federal secretaries in several ministries with over 50 civil servants, a move being called by many civil servants as reeking of nepotism and favouritism. In what is being touted as the single largest grade-22 promotion in many years, secretaries of interior, information, industries, privatisation commission, labour, and special secretary of finance are among those who have been replaced with the newly promoted officers. Interior Secretary Kamal Shah, who was already on extension has been replaces with civil servant Qamar Zaman while Information Secretary Ashfaq Gondal has been told that his contract would not be renewed, The Dawn reports. According to an official announcement, Gilani had ordered promotion and posting of 51 grade-21 officials to the next grade on the recommendation of the Central Selection Board. Thirty-five of them belong to the DMG and OMG, seven are from police service (PSP), four from Audit and Accounts and five from the Foreign Service. The announcement sent a wave of shock and surprise in the federal bureaucracy, with many senior officers describing the decision as-ill-conceived, laced with nepotism and outright favouritism. One replacement that has raised many eyebrows is of Khalid Mirza, who was regarded as a highly competent and fearlessly independent head of the Competitive Commission of Pakistan. The paper cited documents showing that Mirza's contract as head of an autonomous body was till July 2010 and he could have been only removed on charges of corruption.

Gilani's bureaucracy reshuffle reeks of nepotism: Civil servants