You have to do your duty as servants; you are not concerned with this political or that political party; that is not your business. It is a business of politicians to fight out their case under the present constitution or the future constitution that may be ultimately framed. You, therefore, have nothing to do with this party or that party. You are civil servants. Whichever gets the majority will form the Government and your duty is to serve that Government for the time being as servants not as politicians. How will you do that? The Government in power for the time being must also realize and understand their responsibilities that you are not to be used for this party or that. I know we are saddled with old legacy, old mentality, old psychology and it haunts our footsteps, but it is up to you now to act as true servants of the people even at the risk of any Minister or Ministry trying to interfere with you in the discharge of your duties as civil servants. Quaid-e-Azam March 25, 1948: Quaid-e-Azam believed in strong and independent state institutions and bureaucracy. But past and present governments have made these institutions and bureaucracy purposely weak to serve as personal servants of the rulers of the day and not servants of the state and people of Pakistan. We need to restore professionalism to the civil services and merit should be the only criteria. Nepotism and favouritism should not come into the equation when it comes to hiring and promotion. The civil service of Pakistan must stop being the Ittefaq Civil Service and serve the people As we witnessed in the Panama case, the heads of state institutions were reluctant to take action against the present rulers. In fact, in some instances, facilitating them, such as the former Chairman of the SECP Zafar Hijazi who was caught tampering documents in favour of the Sharifs. What is the point of an independent judiciary if it cannot implement/enforce its decisions/verdicts if the executive and state institutions refuse or reluctant to do so? The frustration in Pakistan today is that our state institutions and civil service are not acting autonomously and competently. In order to improve governance and for the country to progress, it is crucial to start purging politics from state institutions and civil service. Just like allied forces conducted a de-nazification campaign to rid post-World War II German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology (Nazism), we in Pakistan need a similar campaign to de-Nawazify and de-Jiyalify the bureaucracy throughout Pakistan at all levels! Any bureaucrat who is interested in politics should either resign and join a political party or face dismissal from their post. Civil servants can vote in elections but must be strictly prohibited from joining a political party while in government service. Any bureaucrat who is interested in politics should either resign and join a political party or face dismissal from their post. Civil servants can vote in elections but must be strictly prohibited from joining a political party Moreover, a whistleblower law is required at the federal level to protect federal employees and to reward them for reporting wrongdoings. We need to restore professionalism to the civil services and merit should be the only criteria. Not nepotism and favouritism when it comes to hiring and promotion. The civil service of Pakistan must stop being the Ittefaq Civil Service and start serving the state and the people. Improved professionalism, merit and prestige might help attract some of our best and brightest to join the civil service. This will only lead to better policy making and governance. The writer is Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Published in Daily Times, March 5th 2018.