The true costs of perks and privileges of government employees

In the corridors of power in Pakistan, a financial challenge lurks beneath the surface — an issue stemming from unnecessary expenditures and an abundance of nonproductive government employees. As politicians take pride in appointing their favourites to public sector roles, the burden ultimately falls on the taxpayer, who remains voiceless in the process. Yet no one looks at what the cost of this dirigiste politics is. Not only are most political employees generally employed in positions where they are not productive, they are also a drain on the budget. An employee, when hired, represents a stream of commitments from the budget for his lifetime and beyond, given guarantees of lifetime employment, pension, pension to surviving widows and unmarried daughters, as well as other invisible benefits. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the latest headcount of federal government employees stands at a staggering 1.37 million as of December 2022. This number includes civilians, armed forces and autonomous/semi-autonomous/ corporations.