NA Secretariat reports Rs8.6bn savings

NA Secretariat reports Rs8.6bn savings

The National Assembly (NA) Secretariat expects significant savings from its Rs17 billion budget for the current fiscal year after implementing administrative and financial reforms over the past two years.

According to a briefing by the NA Secretariat, the reforms have already generated Rs8.6 billion in savings against a combined allocation of Rs29 billion for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 fiscal years. The secretariat also abolished 302 posts, reducing its overall workforce by nearly 20%.

A senior official said the secretariat expects further substantial savings from this year’s Rs17 billion allocation.

The reforms have also changed the appointment process. The secretariat has replaced discretionary hiring powers with service procedures based on laws and rules. Officials say the move will improve transparency and reduce political pressure on the speaker when making appointments.

The NA Secretariat’s progress comes as the federal government continues efforts to reduce the size of the civil service and control administrative spending. However, the government’s rightsizing drive has so far focused largely on gradual and limited measures.

On Monday, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired a meeting of the sub-committee on rightsizing to review progress and discuss ways to speed up the implementation of approved reforms.

According to the Finance Ministry, Waves 1 to 4 of the rightsizing exercise have largely moved forward following cabinet approval. Recommendations for Waves 5 and 6 have also been prepared and shared with relevant authorities, while work on Waves 7 and 8 is underway.