Karachi: Chairman HBL Sultan Ali Allana has said that the civil service is not merely a job, but an investment in the future of public service.

While addressing participants of the 45th Mid-Career Management Course (BS-18 officers) at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Karachi, Sultan Ali Allana highlighted the central role of the civil service in Pakistan’s governance landscape.

In his address, he described merit as the key to success and said, “History teaches us that when merit is weakened, outcomes are weakened. When you ignore merit, you encourage incompetence in the system, which in turn breeds further incompetence.”

Referring to Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, he said that strong political leadership requires a neutral, honest, and merit-based civil service.

The HBL Chairman also told the officers that they serve as a bridge between the state machinery and ordinary citizens. “Your job is to turn authority into accountability. The role of the civil service is not just to run administration, but to safeguard public trust, resources, and national dignity (stewardship).”

He further said that Pakistan is currently facing complex economic and security challenges, and that technology is rapidly transforming society.

Moreover, Sultan Ali Allana advised the officers to return to their departments and listen more to the public, engage in consultation, and pay special attention to marginalized segments of society, the poor, and the youth.