Amid growing unrest in the public administration, senior secretaries of various ministries have submitted the demands of government employees for the withdrawal of what they call the “controversial” Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 to the cabinet secretary.
Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid is now expected to present the issue to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who is currently on a visit to Japan and is scheduled to return home on 31 May, for further consideration.
Any government decision on the matter is unlikely before his return, leaving the protesting employees in a state of suspense.
This development comes at a time of heightened tension within the Secretariat, where employees from multiple ministries have staged protests over the past four days, branding the ordinance as “repressive” and a “black law”.
In response to the latest developments, protesting employees have called a press conference for Wednesday afternoon to publicly reiterate their demands and clarify their next course of action.
Earlier in the day, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Land ASM Saleh Ahmed along with several other secretaries met with the cabinet secretary and briefed him on the outcomes of their discussions with employees held the previous day.
“The cabinet secretary has been informed of the discussions and demands made by the employees, but he is not in a position to make decisions on this matter,” ASM Saleh Ahmed told reporters following the meeting. “He will present the issue to the chief adviser once he returns from his overseas trip.”
The public service ordinance seeks to revise several provisions of the Public Service Act 2018. Although the full text of the ordinance has not been publicly disclosed, sources within the Secretariat suggest that it includes changes perceived to increase executive control over public servants, reduce job security, and limit avenues for redress in cases of administrative action against employees.
Critics argue that the ordinance could undermine the neutrality of the civil service and make it more vulnerable to political influence. Several employee associations have condemned the amendment as unconstitutional and a threat to the integrity of public service.
The ordinance was approved in principle at a meeting of the interim government’s Advisory Council last Thursday and was promulgated on Sunday evening.
The move sparked immediate backlash among government employees, who launched a series of demonstrations starting on Saturday. Over the last four days, large numbers of employees have left their offices to participate in protest marches and rallies within the Secretariat compound.
Protesters have emphasised that their movement is non-political and solely aimed at protecting their rights and the independence of the civil service. Several civil service associations and unions have echoed these sentiments and pledged to continue their agitation until the ordinance is fully repealed.