Islamabad – Pakistan’s administrative landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, as the federal government confirms that digitisation has rendered a large portion of traditional clerical roles redundant, reshaping decades-old bureaucratic structures and signalling a seismic shift in the country’s public-sector workforce.
According to IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima, nearly 60 per cent of lower-grade clerical posts—including clerks, stenotypists, assistants and dispatch riders—are no longer essential due to the rapid adoption of e-office systems across ministries. With official communication, file movement and documentation now shifting to digital platforms, jobs once central to paper-based operations have sharply diminished in relevance.
The minister noted that as government departments fully transition into electronic workflows, officers themselves will draft, sign and circulate communications digitally, eliminating the layers of manual processing that defined traditional bureaucracy. “When functions change, roles also evolve. Many old positions simply do not align with a digital setup,” she said.
This overhaul, officials say, is part of a strategic push to build a faster, more transparent and accountable governance model, where digital trails replace physical files and bottlenecks created by manual handling are eradicated. The shift is expected to curb red tape, reduce delays in decision-making and significantly enhance citizen-facing services.
However, the transformation has also raised concerns about the future of thousands of employees whose roles have diminished. In response, the government is preparing a nationwide upskilling and reskilling initiative, focusing on training in digital tools, artificial intelligence, e-governance systems and core administrative technologies. The aim is to ensure that affected staff can transition into new digital-era functions instead of being left behind.
Experts say Pakistan’s trajectory mirrors global trends where automation and digitisation are replacing repetitive roles while creating demand for higher-skilled, tech-savvy profiles. Yet they caution that the transition must be managed carefully, as poorly planned digital leaps can displace vulnerable workers and widen employment inequalities.
Despite challenges, officials are confident that long-term benefits will outweigh short-term disruptions. The government believes that a digitally equipped workforce will not only boost efficiency but also pave the way for a modern, agile bureaucracy capable of supporting future economic and administrative reforms.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.