ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to abolish or gradually phase out a total of 55,545 vacant posts across various ministries and departments under its ongoing rightsizing drive aimed at improving efficiency and reducing expenditures, official sources said.
According to the latest data, 44,286 vacant positions have already been completely eliminated, while 11,259 posts have been declared as part of a “dying cadre”. Under this mechanism, the posts will remain temporarily but will not be filled once the current incumbents retire or vacate them, leading to their gradual abolition.
A senior official of the Establishment Division said the reform process was continuing under the supervision of a special committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The committee is tasked with making the federal government more efficient, reducing unnecessary spending, and improving administrative performance.
The rightsizing initiative, launched in mid-2024, covers all federal ministries, their attached departments, and autonomous bodies. Its primary focus is to eliminate long-vacant or redundant positions to ease the burden on the salary and benefits budget and curb government spending.
Officials said the move was necessary in view of the current economic challenges and fiscal pressures. In 2024, the federal cabinet had granted in-principle approval for the abolition of around 150,000 posts and allowed amendments to relevant laws to provide financial support or compensation packages for employees affected by the reforms.
As part of the broader plan, about 60 percent of total vacant posts are to be abolished or declared dying positions. The government has also decided to outsource services such as sanitation, plumbing, gardening, and other routine functions to reduce pension liabilities and recurring costs.
Authorities expect the measures to significantly reduce staff numbers from Grade 1 to Grade 16 and lower pension expenditures. Approval has also been granted to abolish all contingency posts across ministries and divisions.
Sources said the government deliberately focused on vacant positions to avoid layoffs of existing employees, adopting a gradual workforce reduction policy through the dying cadre mechanism.