CSA launches ‘Ethical Leadership’ series

LAHORE: The Civil Services Academy (CSA) has launched a comprehensive lecture series titled “Ethical Leadership”, aimed at embedding a strong culture of integrity, professionalism and accountability among Pakistan’s future civil servants, with a focus on nurturing moral courage, adherence to the rule of law and principled decision-making as defining traits of public service.

The initiative, introduced as part of the academy’s broader training framework, seeks to sensitise probationary officers to the ethical dimensions of governance at an early stage of their careers. The inaugural session of the series was delivered by Saeed Mehdi, a distinguished retired civil servant and former secretary to the prime minister, who shared insights drawn from his extensive experience in Pakistan’s administrative and political landscape.

He is also the author of The Eyewitness: Standing in the Shadows of Pakistan’s History.

The lecture was attended by probationary officers of the 54th Common Training Programme (CTP), currently undergoing training at the CSA. The session commenced with a formal welcome by the Director (CTP/CB), while Syed Babar Ali Shah introduced the guest speaker, outlining his illustrious career and his contributions to public administration and governance in Pakistan.

In a candid and detailed address, Mehdi spoke at length about the realities of civil service, particularly the ethical dilemmas and institutional pressures that officers often encounter during their careers. He emphasised that ethical courage — the ability to take a principled stand even in difficult circumstances — is the essence of true leadership in public service. He observed that one of the most critical tests for a civil servant is the capacity to say no, politely yet firmly, to directives or actions that fall outside the ambit of law and established rules.

According to him, refusing to comply with unlawful instructions is not an act of defiance but a duty owed to the state and the Constitution. He stressed that becoming part of an illegal or irregular decision, even under pressure, compromises both personal integrity and institutional credibility.