The Federal Secretary (also referred to as the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan) is the highest-ranking position in the

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan () (abbreviated as GoP), constitutionally known as the Federal Government, commonly known as the Centre, is the national authority of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a federal republic located in South Asia, con ...

, occupied by the most senior

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

in a specific ministry or division. The secretary is the administrative head of that ministry or division and oversees and enforces public policy matters. The authority for the creation of this post solely rests with the

Cabinet of Pakistan The Cabinet of Pakistan (, ''Kābīnā-e-Pākistān'') is a formal body composed of senior government officials chosen and led by the Prime Minister. All cabinet members sworn in are designated '' Minister'' and are seated at their respective m ...

. The position holder is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the

Pakistan Administrative Service The Pakistan Administrative Service, or PAS () (previously known as the District Management Group or DMG before 1 June 2012) is an elite cadre of the Civil Services of Pakistan. The Pakistan Administrative Service over the years has emerged as ...

All promotions and appointments to this rank and post are directly made by the

prime minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan (, Roman Urdu, romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Cabinet of Pakistan, cabinet, desp ...

. The post of federal secretary is equivalent to that of chief secretary of a provincial government (within their respective provinces) and to the rank of General in the

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...

, Air Chief Marshal in the

Pakistan Air Force The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (; ) is the aerial warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces, tasked primarily with the aerial defence of Pakistan, with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Navy when re ...

, and Admiral in the

Pakistan Navy The Pakistan Navy (PN) (; ''romanized'': Pākistān Bahrí'a; ) is the naval warfare branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The Chief of the Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Com ...

. Due to the importance of their respective assignments, there are twelve specific federal secretaries which are considered to be the most vital in the Government of Pakistan. These include the establishment secretary (responsible for civil service matters), finance secretary (responsible for the country's treasury), secretary to the prime minister (responsible for Prime Minister's Office),

cabinet secretary A cabinet secretary is usually a senior official (typically a civil servant) who provides services and advice to a cabinet of ministers as part of the Cabinet Office. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powe ...

(responsible for the Cabinet Division),

interior secretary The United States secretary of the interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. The secretary and the Department of the Interior are responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land along with natur ...

(responsible for law and order),

commerce secretary The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to Commerce, commerce. The sec ...

(responsible for trade), foreign secretary (responsible for foreign relations), maritime secretary (responsible for ports and shipping), power secretary (responsible for the electricity and power sector), planning and development secretary (responsible for development projects), petroleum secretary (responsible for the petroleum sector), and industry secretary (responsible for industrial development).

Powers and

The federal secretary is the administrative head of the ministry or division, and oversees all matters of policy and administration within the ministry or /division. The role of secretary is as follows: * To act as the administrative head of the ministry or division. The responsibility in this regard is complete and undivided. * To act as the chief adviser to the prime minister on all aspects of policy and administrative affairs. * To represent the ministry or division before the Standing Committees of the Parliament.

Perception and image

The federal secretaries are the most senior and experienced officers in the country and are largely considered to be the most powerful individuals in the government. Promotion to the rank of federal secretary is regarded as a very tough task given the high level of scrutiny taken into place when the promotions are done by the High Powered Selection Board (HPSB) which is chaired by the prime minister. As the career service of federal secretaries and other

bureaucrats A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can compose the administration of any organization of any size, although the term usually connotes someone within an institution of government. The term ''bureaucrat'' derives from "bureaucracy", wh ...

are immune to the transition of political governments, they are seen as the real policy-makers who govern the country and serve as the spinal cord for the establishment.

Federal secretary slots

Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan The Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ) is the Federal Secretary to the Cabinet of Pakistan. The Cabinet secretary serves as the administrative head of the Cabinet Division, providing policy advice to the prime minister and Cabinet. Usually t ...

Principal Secretary to the President of Pakistan The Principal Secretary to the President of Pakistan is the administrative head of Aiwan-e-Sadr. The position was considered to be very important until 2010; however, after the Eighteenth Amendment, the presidency was reduced to a mere ceremoni ...

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan The secretary to the prime minister of Pakistan (also referred to as SPM or PM's chief of staff) is the administrative head and highest-ranking official of the Prime Minister's Office. The position holder is usually an officer belonging to the ...

Establishment Secretary of Pakistan The Establishment Secretary of Pakistan is the Federal Secretary for the Establishment Division and is in charge of the transfers, postings as well as promotions in the country's civil service. The position holder is a BPS-22 Officer, usually bel ...

Foreign Secretary of Pakistan The Foreign Secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ) is the Federal Secretary (Pakistan), Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Pakistan), Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Secretary, as in all other ministries of Government of Pakistan, is ...

Interior Secretary of Pakistan The interior secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ) is the Federal Secretary (Pakistan), federal secretary for the Ministry of Interior (Pakistan), Ministry of Interior. As in-charge of the country's law and order machinery, the interior secretary is one ...

Finance Secretary of Pakistan The Finance secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ) is the federal secretary for the Ministry of Finance. The federal finance secretary is one of the most powerful bureaucrats in the country. Being the head of the Finance Division, the secretary plays a ...

Pakistan Secretary of Economic Affairs The Economic Affairs Secretary of Pakistan , also referred to as Secretary EAD, is the Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The position of Secretary EAD is considered to be a lucrative slot in the Federal government. The po ...

Maritime Secretary of Pakistan The Maritime Secretary of Pakistan, also referred to as Ports and Shipping Secretary, is the Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Maritime Affairs. The position holder is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrativ ...

Commerce Secretary of Pakistan The Commerce Secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ) is the Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce. The position holder is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service. The Commerce Secretary is considered to ...

Petroleum Secretary of Pakistan The Petroleum Secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ) is the Federal Secretary for Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division). The officer is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service. The Secretary Petroleum is conside ...

* Power Secretary of Pakistan *

Planning and Development Secretary of Pakistan The Planning and Development Secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ), also referred to as Secretary P&D, is the Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Planning and Development. The Secretary P&D plays a key role in the country's economic planning and develo ...

Information Secretary of Pakistan The Information Secretary of Pakistan is the Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage. The position holder is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service. The Info ...

Pakistan Secretary of Defence The Defence Secretary of Pakistan is the Federal Secretary (Pakistan), Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Defence (Pakistan), Ministry of Defence of Pakistan. List of Defence Secretaries See also *Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan *Establ ...

Pakistan Secretary of Water Resources The Water Resources Secretary of Pakistan is the Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Water Resources. The position holder is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service The Pakistan Administrative Serv ...

* Pakistan Secretary of Health * Pakistan Secretary of Information Technology * Pakistan Secretary of Communications * Pakistan Secretary of Education * National Security Division Secretary *

Pakistan Secretary of Industries and Production Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. Islamabad is the nat ...

* Pakistan Secretary of Law *

Aviation Secretary of Pakistan The Aviation Secretary of Pakistan () is the Federal Secretary for the Aviation Division. The position holder is a BPS-22 grade officer, usually belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service. The position of Secretary of Aviation is considere ...

*Secretary Revenue Division of Pakistan *Secretary of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony

Notable federal secretaries

Roedad Khan Roedad Khan (28 September 1923 – 21 April 2024) was a Pakistani politician and civil servant. He was a leading figure in Pakistan from the start to the end of the Cold War. During his long career, Khan was one of the most senior civil servant ...

Nargis Sethi Nargis Sethi () is a retired Pakistani civil service officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service who served in BPS-22 grade as the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Other heavyweight ...

Tariq Bajwa Tariq Bajwa is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served as the Finance Secretary and Economic Affairs Secretary of Pakistan. Bajwa also served as the 19th Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and the 20th Chairman of the Federal Board o ...

* Shehzad Arbab * Usman Ali Isani * Nasir Mahmood Khosa * Rizwan Ahmed *

Azam Suleman Khan Maj (r) Azam Suleman Khan () is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served as the Provincial Ombudsman of Punjab. He previously served in BPS-22 grade as the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, Chief Secretary Punjab and as Chief Secretary Sindh ...

* Syed Abu Ahmad Akif *

Naveed Kamran Baloch Naveed Kamran Baloch is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade at the top bureaucratic offices of Cabinet Secretary and Finance Secretary of Pakistan. Baloch belonged to the Pakistan Administrative Service and was promoted ...

Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad (born 13 August 1954) is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served as chairman of the Federal Land Commission of Pakistan from April 2020 to April 2023. Previously, he served in BPS-22 grade as the Cabinet Secretary ...

* Maroof Afzal * Shoaib Mir Memon * Mir Ahmed Bakhsh Lehri *

Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade, the highest attainable rank for a serving officer, as the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan. Sukhera did his bachelor's degree in economics from the London ...

* Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqi *

Sajjad Saleem Hotiana Sajjad Saleem Hotiana () (born 14 March 1955) is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as Chief Secretary Sindh. Hotiana also served as Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan and Senior Member Federal Land Commission. After re ...

* Raja Muhammad Abbas *

Mumtaz Ali Shah Mumtaz Ali Shah is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the Maritime Secretary of Pakistan and Chief Secretary Sindh. Hailing from Sindh, Shah joined the Pakistan Administrative Service after passing the Central Supe ...

Kamran Rasool Kamran Rasool (born 9 April 1948) is a retired Pakistani civil servant belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service who served in BPS-22 grade as the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan, Chief Secretary Punjab and later on as the Defence Secretar ...

* Allah Bakhsh Malik * Arshad Sami Khan * Syed Munir Husain *

Shahjehan Syed Karim Shahjehan Syed Karim (1933–2017) was a Pakistani civil servant who served as the Chief Secretary of Sindh, chief secretary of Sindh in 1994. He also founded the Institute of Business Management. Early life and education Syed Karim was born in ...

* Kamran Lashari *

Jawad Rafique Malik Jawad Rafique Malik (Urdu: جواد رفیق ملک) is a retired officer of Pakistani civil service who served in BPS-22 grade as Chief Secretary Punjab and Federal Secretary of the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Division. Hailing from L ...

Sikandar Sultan Raja Sikandar Sultan Raja is a retired Pakistani civil servant who is the current Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan since January 2020 till date. He is the son-in-law of the former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chief ...

Qudrat Ullah Shahab Qudrat Ullah Shahab (or Qudratullah Shahab, ; 26 February 191724 July 1986) was an eminent Urdu writer, civil servant and diplomat from Pakistan. Shahab holds the distinction of having served as the Principal Secretary to the Presid ...

* Iqbal Hussain Durrani *

Ghulam Ishaq Khan Ghulam Ishaq Khan (20 January 1915 – 27 October 2006), commonly known by his initials GIK, was a Pakistani bureaucrat, politician and statesman who served as the seventh President of Pakistan from 1988 to 1993. He previously served as Chairm ...

* Tasneem Noorani *

Fawad Hasan Fawad Fawad Hasan Fawad () is a Pakistani public policy practitioner, former civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the Principal Secretary to three Prime Ministers Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi; and later as caretaker Fe ...

* Rabiya Javeri Agha *

Aftab Ghulam Nabi Kazi Aftab Ghulam Nabi Kazi (; 6 November 1919 – 9 August 2016) , also known as AGN Kazi, was a Pakistani civil servant and a bureaucrat during the Cold War and during the post cold war. Kazi was born in Sindh, Bombay Presidency, in 1919 to an a ...

References

{{Federal Secretary * Civil service of Pakistan Government of Pakistan Government occupations