LAHORE/ ISLAMABAD: Ahead of the upcoming provincial budget, the Punjab government has abolished thousands of long-vacant posts across different departments, including around 30,000 in the School Education Department (SED) Punjab alone.
Officials explained that these positions had remained vacant for several years and were only reflected in the budget documents as salary allocations, which meant funds were earmarked but never actually spent. By removing them, the government aims to streamline expenditure and reduce the financial burden on the exchequer.
The School Education Department, the largest civilian employer in Pakistan, had the highest number of vacancies due to its massive workforce. Other departments also saw cuts, including 5,199 posts in Agriculture, over 300 in the Directorate General Public Relations, around 200 in the Information and Culture Department and thousands more in Health, Forestry, Irrigation, Housing, Special Education and Prosecution.
The move has sparked criticism from teachers’ associations, political parties and unions, who argue that instead of abolishing posts the government should have initiated recruitment to address shortages in schools and public offices. Stakeholders warn that the decision will reduce future employment opportunities and further strain an already overburdened staff.
According to media reports, the Finance Department is considering abolishing another 100,000 vacant posts before June 30 as part of broader restructuring. Critics say this will weaken education and healthcare systems, while the government insists it is necessary to enforce fiscal discipline and ensure that budget allocations reflect actual employment.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Wednesday strongly criticised the Punjab government’s decision to abolish 37,314 posts across five departments, warning that the move could aggravate unemployment and fuel administrative instability.
PPP Labour Bureau In-charge Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed termed the decision a “precursor to anarchy”, arguing that it comes at a time when the public is already reeling from inflation and economic uncertainty. He warned that failure to reverse the decision could trigger protests by the PPP in assemblies, courts and on the streets. The PPP leader also called on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to immediately restore the abolished posts.
On the other hand, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said the PPP should concentrate on Sindh’s affairs as the Punjab government has never interfered in their local issues. Talking about the abolition of jobs, she said this step was taken under the Prime Minister Austerity Drive and all the abolished jobs were extra and these people were recruited a long time ago.
