Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat

It began with one officer: my curiosity within the work of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officers. My Twitter following–those I observe–didn’t have any PAS officers; there was nothing about their work that I discovered attention-grabbing. That’s not to undermine the work they do, however to me it was all listed of their institutional tasks. Specializing in politicians who I assumed have been making an attempt to vary the system, uneasily present inside its age-old narratives and demarcations, I had little consciousness of one other group of individuals whose very job designation has the service of public as its raison d’etre: police and PAS officers. That modified once I had a digital interplay with Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat.

Past the official prominence and self-created significance of civil servants throughout me, there was not often ever an officer who I assumed was making a acutely aware effort to not simply do their job effectively however to do far more than what their job entailed. Deputy Commissioner Shafqaat on Twitter made me conscious of how little I knew of PAS officers.

Greater than the tweets about his work, what made Shafqaat noticeable to me was his promptness of response to queries and points posted by tweeters dwelling in Islamabad and elsewhere. It is usually his unwavering, good-humoured composure to keep up graciousness that was an oddity within the age the place even official accounts of state organisations operate with a restricted quota of persistence, utilizing the block choice to mute anybody who dares to cross an invisible line. Shafqaat’s responses could not win him the Mr Congeniality award from continual naysayers, however there aren’t many on Twitter who may say that Shafqaat is inaccessible. Shafqaat and some others like him are smashing the stereotype of a civil servant, one initiative, one tweet at a time.

From caring for regulation and order throughout TLP’s 2018 Faizabad protest to checking on an sad bear on the Islamabad Zoo, there may be not a lot that Shafqaat doesn’t take note of when approached on Twitter. From Twitter to his workplace, Shafqaat is the face of that new batch of PAS officers who’ve redefined the concept of working for state to serve the individuals of the state.

Certainly one of my favorite individuals on Twitter, I seen Shafqaat doing issues that showcased his constant concern for individuals. I assumed I’d ask him about among the initiatives he had taken that enhanced his work past the strains drawn in official portfolios. He despatched me a collection of responses. I discover Shafqaat’s work actually spectacular for one easy motive: Shafqaat’s skilled credo is inspirational.

In his personal phrases, right here is the final couple of years of Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat’s work:

“I did my CSS in 2005. My education was in Cadet Faculty, Hassan Abdal, I studied laptop system engineering at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, and I did my MPhil in public coverage from Nationwide Defence College, Islamabad. I additionally did two programs on wastewater administration and innovation in public service from Malaysia and Turkey.

“My father was in police, and ergo my inclination in the direction of civil service. My first posting was in inside Sindh for 3 years as assistant commissioner in Larkana, Sukkur and Gothki. After my promotion I got here to Islamabad the place I labored as extra deputy commissioner, director municipal administration, deputy secretary institution division, and at present, as deputy commissioner.

“Among the many a number of initiatives which are on my concepts, the primary one is the value management initiative: an app through which important commodities offered on government-fixed costs are residence delivered. The thought behind the app was to chop the middlemen and cut back the value for patrons. An merchandise being offered in marketplace for Rs 200 is delivered by means of the app for Rs 105. The app is profitable in Islamabad. The prime minister additionally likes this concept, and he could have the app replicated in the entire of Pakistan.

“One other initiative is the formation of government centres to spare complainants of inconvenience of ready at my workplace or that of any land-related official like a patwari. Complaints are entered in a pc, and paperwork are submitted. If the grievance has a right away answer, corresponding to buying of a domicile, licence, declaration or NOC, it receives quick consideration. If an extended process is required, inside a couple of days the matter is resolved. The interplay with officers has decreased. Additionally, one-window operation for rural areas is offered in some areas of Islamabad.

“We additionally labored on the Clear Inexperienced Pakistan, which was the prime minister’s thought. To plant a million timber in Islamabad, we had universities, madrassas, faculties, and personal housing societies working collectively. This 12 months the purpose is to plant two million timber with none monetary help from authorities.

“Underneath the panagah initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan, we’re operating 5 shelters in Islamabad. Thus far, 550,000 individuals have slept or eaten there. No authorities funds are getting used. What we utilise: a couple of deserted state buildings, and donations of some charity organisations, personal corporations and philanthropists.

“The youth engagement programme was one other one in every of my concepts. Noticing prevalence of drug use in a lot of the youth of Islamabad, we focused drug mafias to eradicate the provision of medicine. To examine the demand the youth was engaged. Firstly, a voluntary all-city process drive of fifteen hundred individuals was shaped; these younger individuals work with us on varied programmes. With college students from state-run and personal faculties, we began our first internship programme. Now they do their internship, observe how authorities places of work work, and provides us concepts. We study from them, they usually study from us.

“Prisoners from the Adiala Jail come to Islamabad for his or her courtroom hearings. For an in a single day keep, they have been stored in a state-run bakshi khana, which was in a really dilapidated situation. With out utilizing any authorities cash, I satisfied personal donors, had a gathering with the bakshi khana guests, and turned it into a wonderful facility. Geared up with new washrooms, followers and carpeting, and provision of meals and water, now the prisoners staying within the bakshi khana don’t really feel as if they’re locked up in dungeons. Prisoners should be handled like human beings. Amongst them are under-trial prisoners.

“One other initiative that I took: use personal faculties, after their faculty hours, with their permission, as non-formal night faculties. With PAGE and 4 different organisations, we’ve began 300 faculties in Islamabad for underprivileged kids.

“The ICT app shall be launched subsequent month. It’s a one-stop facility for all authorities associated providers: water, delivery and loss of life registration, municipal points, buying of a domicile or licence, and so on.

“One other of my initiatives is depositing of the car-token tax by means of a web based transaction. Since authorities didn’t have funds to spare, we requested the Nationwide Financial institution to signal an MOU with us. With Rs 10 for every transaction, this facility is offered in all branches of the Nationwide Financial institution. Now in Islamabad and Peshawar area, anybody can deposit the tax within the Nationwide Financial institution, and likewise from anyplace on the earth. Inside two-three months this app shall be obtainable. The following step is to have this facility on different banking apps.

“My power are the technological interventions that I’ve made, benefiting from my laptop engineering background. The one main factor must be that by means of using expertise, there was a marked enchancment in all my work and governance.

“On social media, my presence was greater than that of any civil servant, however my purpose was by no means self-promotion. My intention was and is to have direct suggestions from individuals. By my interplay with individuals on Twitter and Fb, I hear their points and take varied requisite steps. That is past my official work.”

A latest instance is the proposal of banning sugary, fizzy drinks in class cafeterias. After a Twitter ballot, by which twenty thousand individuals endorsed the ban, we plan to implement it. Varied massive and small initiatives have been taken after ideas from social media customers. A much-needed one was growth of rural areas. Not a part of my official work, however I satisfied MNAs to work on that, and for the primary time, specializing in SDGs of UNDP, 60-crore tasks on training, poverty alleviation, and setting enchancment have been initiated.

“The aim of my every day Twitter engagement is to offer well timed details about my work.

I believe that direct sincere suggestions solely comes by means of Twitter. Complainants in my workplace don’t inform the reality. They want me so no matter I say they nod their head. My workers doesn’t give all of the details both. Direct suggestions is feasible by means of Twitter, and never from newspapers or tv.

“None of that is a part of my official tasks. My primary work is implementation of regulation and order. All these programmes are for enchancment within the lives of people that belief us to work for them. I do what I do as a result of it’s my ardour.”

Right here is to Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, another PAS officer who’s displaying thorough his invaluable work that change isn’t just a six-letter phrase. It’s a dream. And it’s achievable.