Entertainment
Ministers, bureaucrats at odds over specialised reforms scheme
- Civil service reform panel divided over specialised recruitment.
- PM briefed on rift over future of Pakistan’s bureaucracy.
- Reforms propose shift from generalist to specialist CSS system.
The high-level implementation committee on civil service reforms is sharply divided over the future shape of Pakistan’s bureaucracy, with federal ministers strongly backing the introduction of a specialised recruitment system, while senior bureaucrats, mostly belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), are resisting any major move away from the existing generalist framework.
Sources familiar with the deliberations said the prime minister has been briefed on the internal rift. If consensus remains elusive, the committee is likely to forward two separate and competing sets of recommendations on civil service induction and recruitment for the prime minister’s final decision.
The reform proposals stem from recommendations of the civil service reforms committee headed by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, which had called for a fundamental restructuring of the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination and recruitment process.
According to the committee’s recommendations, which were referred by the cabinet to the implementation committee for preparation of an implementation plan for the reforms, the current generalist model should gradually give way to a specialised recruitment system, either through a cluster-based examination or separate examinations for each occupational group under the CSS framework.
Under the proposed model, candidates would be assessed against clearly defined academic qualifications and subject relevance, with successful candidates posted directly against specific positions rather than being inducted as generalists.
The recommendations draw support from the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) report, which proposed aligning optional subjects with service group preferences. For example, finance-related subjects for the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) and criminology for the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP).
One of the most debated proposals relates to the language of examination. The committee has suggested allowing candidates to attempt selected compulsory papers such as Essay, Precis and Composition, Pakistan Studies, Islamiyat and Current Affairs- in either English or Urdu during the initial phase.
The proposal is backed by the Federal Public Service Commission’s five-year performance report, which identifies English Essay and Pakistan Studies as the highest failure-rate subjects. In the 2022 CSS examination, nearly 99% of candidates failed in both papers, raising serious concerns about whether language proficiency has become a barrier to talent selection.
Sources pointed out that even internationally acclaimed scholars, including Rhodes and Gates scholars, have failed to qualify the CSS examination due to these language constraints.
The committee has further recommended that the option of attempting all CSS subjects in Urdu may eventually be introduced. The reform package also proposes raising the MPT (MCQs-Based Preliminary Test) passing threshold from 33% to 40%, without negative marking. The test may include GRE- or SAT-style questions to better assess analytical and logical reasoning.
To enhance transparency, the committee has recommended developing and publishing objective criteria for written examinations and viva voce, alongside graded psychological and psychometric evaluations.
Another key proposal calls for full digitisation of the CSS examination process, with the aim of reducing the total recruitment cycle to six months or less.
To address persistent shortfalls in provincial and minority quotas — particularly in Balochistan and Sindh — the committee has proposed affirmative measures, including additional attempts for candidates from underrepresented groups.
However, senior PAS officers sitting on the implementation committee, which is also led by Ahsan Iqbal, is opposed to replacing the current Central Allocation System (CAS) and generalist induction model.
They argue that Pakistan’s administrative structure requires officers with broad exposure across sectors, maintaining that the existing system is time-tested and has ensured administrative cohesion since independence.
According to their stance, instead of introducing an entirely new specialised bureaucracy, the present system should be refined and strengthened, warning that excessive specialisation at the entry level could fragment governance and weaken coordination among ministries.
Ministers are of the view that we need more space for domain knowledge experts in the civil service and better promotion prospects for specialists to attract professionals and specialists in civil service. At present, specialist cadres have to wait over 15 years to get promoted, and the majority retire at grade 19 or 20.
The corporate sector inducts professionals and turns them into generalists as they go up the ladder, they said.
Originally published in The News
Entertainment
United Airlines 767 slams into NJ Turnpike light pole in viral crash—but what really happened?
A passenger airplane with 221 passengers onboard hits a bakery truck in New Jersey on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
According to Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), all 221 passengers on board along with 10 crew members didn’t sustain any injuries.
United flight 169, traveling from Venice, Italy to New Jersey, slammed into a light pole during its descent at around 2 p.m.
The plane landed safely and taxied to the gate.
United Airlines Boeing 767 was approaching Newark Liberty International Airport when it hit a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike on Sunday, May 3, 2026, as confirmed by FAA.
The airline has initiated an investigation into the incident.
The preliminary investigation reveals the plane’s landing gear and underside struck a pole and a tractor-trailer, pushing the pole into a moving jeep on the roadway, per Fox Business.
On the other hand, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also launched a probe.
The NTSB issued a statement stating, “The agency has directed United Airlines to secure and provide both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to support the investigation, with the preliminary report expected within 30 days.”
The incident surfaced just days after a United pilot reported a possible drone encounter while making a landing approach at San Diego International Airport, per the air traffic audio.
Entertainment
Kim Kardashian delights fans with pregnancy pic ahead of Met Gala: ‘Loading’
Kim Kardashian was always the queen of Met Gala pregnancy looks.
Hours ahead of the fashion’s biggest night on May 4, 2026, the reality TV star surprised fans with a pregnancy photo as she looked back on all her iconic Met Gala looks while preparing for her 13th appearance in a row this year.
“Year 13 loading…” she captioned the post, confirming that she will be gracing the Met Gala red carpet this year after skipping last year.
The first photo was from Kardashian’s first ever Met Gala look in 2013, when she was pregnant with her and then-husband Kanye West’s first child, North West. For her Met Gala debut, Kim wore a custom Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci dress created out of floral printed jersey.
The second picture showed the mom-of-four trying on her 2014 Met Gala dress — a blue strapless Lanvin gown with a black waistband and thigh-high slit.
The SKIMS founder stepped up her game the next year in a sheer crystal-embroidered Roberto Cavalli gown with feather detailing and a long train, with the whole look inspired by Cher.
At the time, she was pregnant with her second child, Saint West, who was born on December 5, 2015.
Kardashian kept outshining herself in the years that followed.
In 2016, she stunned in a futuristic Balmain look, which she described as a “bling sexy robot.”
Following her Paris robbery in October 2016, Kardashian was hesitant to wear much jewellery for the 2017 Met Gala, keeping things simple in an off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood Couture corset dress.
However, she turned up the heat again in 2018 — months after welcoming her third child, Chicago West — in a custom gold chainmail Versace dress featuring embroidered crosses.
2019 was one of Kardashian’s most memorable looks yet, featuring a custom Thierry Mugler dress with the vision of her as “this California girl stepping out of the ocean, wet, dripping.” Just days later, she welcomed her fourth child, Psalm West, via surrogate.
In the first Met Gala since the pandemic in 2021, Kardashian turned heads in an all-black Balenciaga dress, including a full face mask and gloves to cover her entire body. That was also the year she filed for divorce from Ye.
The next year, Kardashian attended the Met Gala with her then-boyfriend Pete Davidson, wearing an iconic Marilyn Monroe dress which earned her a lot of backlash.
In 2023, she stunned in a custom Schiaparelli haute couture design by Daniel Roseberry featuring a draped skirt and top adorned with more than 50,000 freshwater pearls and 16,0000 crystal pearls.
2024’s Met Gala saw Kardashian bringing back her cinched waist look with a silver corset and lace train featuring leaves and floral accents. The dress was a custom Margiela by John Galliano.
After skipping the 2025 Met Gala, Kardashian — who has entered a new chapter of her life after sparking a relationship with Lewis Hamilton — now has fans at the edge of their seats with what she has planned this year.
Entertainment
Govt to compensate One Constitution Avenue apartment owners at price originally paid
- Committee to review cases, submit report.
- PM approval awaited for compensation plan.
- Authorities have been told to halt action.
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided in principle to compensate apartment owners of One Constitution Avenue by paying them their original purchase prices, with a formal announcement expected after approval from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
A high-level committee, constituted by the prime minister, has begun work to examine the legal and administrative aspects of the high-profile controversy, according to an official notification issued by the Cabinet Division. The committee is headed by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and includes Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, along with the secretaries of the Cabinet Division and Commerce Division.
The committee has been tasked with reviewing all related cases, listening to affected apartment owners and proposing a balanced course of action to address grievances while ensuring compliance with the court orders. It is scheduled to submit its report to the prime minister by May 8.
Until a final decision is taken, authorities including the Capital Development Authority (CDA), police and district administration have been directed not to take any action against residents.
The issue stems from a long-standing dispute over the project. In 2005, the CDA allotted 13.5 acres of land to a private developer for construction of a five-star hotel. The company secured the lease for Rs4.8 billion and was granted possession after making an initial 15 per cent payment. However, it subsequently defaulted on payments, leading to prolonged rescheduling and litigation.
In 2019, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the developer to pay Rs17.5 billion to restore the lease. The company has so far paid only Rs2.9 billion and remains in default of approximately Rs14.5 billion, resulting in cancellation of the lease in 2023.
Authorities also noted that in violation of the original agreement, the developer constructed 263 residential apartments on the site. Despite public notices warning buyers of the project’s disputed status, transactions continued.
Currently, only 69 of the 263 apartments are occupied, while the majority remain in the hands of investors. Of the occupied units, officials say only a small proportion are used for permanent residence, with many being rented out on a short-term basis.
Following directions from the Islamabad High Court, the CDA officials, accompanied by police, recently issued seven-day eviction notices to occupants in line with the court orders.
Despite earlier warnings, the government has now moved towards compensating affected buyers, signalling a conciliatory approach aimed at resolving the prolonged dispute.
Originally published in The News
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