Formerly known as the District Management Group (DMG), this group primarily deals with district administration, governance, and policymaking at the provincial and federal levels.
Governing Body
Prime Minister of Pakistan
History
- It is the successor of the illustrious Imperial Civil Service (ICS) during the British Period.
- After partition of the subcontinent in 1947, all ICS officers who opted for India became the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and those who opted for Pakistan became the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS).
- The PAS was renamed as Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP) in 1951.
- It was divided into two groups District Management Group (DMG) and Tribal Areas Group (TAG) in 1973.
- It was then reunited as DMG in 1981.
- Finally, it was reverted to its original name “Pakistan Administrative Service” in 2011.
Introduction
- Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) is the general administrative cadre of the Government of Pakistan.
- It was formerly called as the Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP).
- From District Administration to the highest levels of policymaking in the Federal Government, Pakistan Administrative Service play the most pivotal part in running the entire country.
- It is the most prestigious Service within Pakistan’s bureaucracy and of the nearly three million public servants are working in it and only around 1000 or so are Officers.
Training
- Each year, a fresh batch of around 40 PAS officers is inducted through Central Superior Services (CSS) examination out of 40,000 candidates.
- 97% of aspirants select the PAS as their 1st preference out of 12 occupational groups.
- PAS probationer officers are further subjected to a two-year schedule of intense training.
- Common Training Program (CTP) is held at the Civil Services Academy, Walton Campus, Lahore
- Specialized Training Program is held at PAS Campus located alongside Shahrah-E-Quaid-I-Azam in Lahore
- STP includes the study of public administration, civil law, criminal law, urban planning and rural development.
- There are also mandatory physical courses like horse-riding, swimming, rifle- shooting and various kinds of sports and extracurricular activities.
Perks & Privileges of PAS Officers
PAS is the most sought-after group because of the numerous benefits and privileges that come with it:
🔹 Official Residence – Government-provided housing.
🔹 Vehicle & Security – Official car with driver & security personnel.
🔹 Authority & Power – Direct involvement in governance and policymaking.
🔹 Career Growth – Fastest promotions among all CSS groups.
🔹 Foreign Training & Scholarships – Sponsored training abroad.
🔹 Lifetime Job Security – Civil service tenure protection.
🔹 Pension & Post-Retirement Benefits – Financial security even after retirement.
Challenges & Criticism of PAS
Despite being a prestigious career, PAS officers face several challenges:
⚠️ Political Interference – Frequent transfers and pressure from politicians.
⚠️ Workload & Stress – High-pressure jobs with long working hours.
⚠️ Public Expectations – Responsible for critical governance decisions.
⚠️ Bureaucratic Delays – Slow processes in decision-making and implementation.
Posts
The PAS Officers are entitled to hold 100% positions of Chief Secretary in Pakistan as well as 65% of the posts of Additional Secretary, 35% of the posts of Joint Secretary in the Federal Ministries. In the provincial governments, they are entitled to 65% posts of provincial Secretaries, two-thirds of the posts of Divisional Commissioners, half of the posts of Deputy Commissioners and one-fifth of the posts of Assistant Commissioners. The PAS officers also hold judicial portfolios (four of them became the Chief Justices of Pakistan), foreign assignments including Ambassadors and Counselors, and heads of Public Sector Corporations. Many of the CSPs have risen to the level of the President of Pakistan.
BPS-17:
Officers of PAS are first appointed typically as
- Assistant Commissioners (AC) of a Sub-division/ Tehsil.
- Assistant Director in any Federal or Provincial Department like WASA, WAPDA, Irrigation, PIA etc.
- Section Officer in Federal Secretariat
- Under Secretary to Provincial Government
- Assistant Political Agent (APA)
Field appointment of AC combines roles of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Assistant Collector (Land Revenue)
BPS-18:
PAS Officers are promoted from BPS-17 to BPS-18 with 4 to 5 years. They may be appointed as
- Deputy Commissioner (DC) of a small District
- Deputy Director of a Federal/Provincial Department like PIA, Railways, PTV etc.
- Senior Section Officer in Federal Secretariat
- Deputy Secretary to Provincial Government
- Political Agent for a small agency
Field appointment of DC combines roles of District Magistrate (DM) and Collector (Land Revenue) well
BPS-19:
Promotion time from BPS-18 to BPS-19 is approximately 7-8 years. They may be appointed as
- Deputy Commissioner (DC) of a Large District
- Director/Vice-Chairman of a Federal/Provincial Department like PIA, Railways, PTV etc.
- Deputy Secretary to the Government of Pakistan
- Additional Secretary to Provincial Government
- Political Agent in Government large agencies in Gilgit, FATA, Kashmir etc.
- Project Manager for a Federal Scheme
BPS-20:
They may be appointed as
- Commissioner of a small Administrative Division
- Director-General of Federal Department
- Joint Secretary to the Government of Pakistan
- Secretary to Provincial Government
- Member Provincial Board of Revenue
- Project Director for Federal Scheme
BPS-21:
They may be appointed as
- Commissioner of a Large Administrative Division like Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Islamabad etc.
- Chairman of Federal Organizations
- Chairman Provincial Planning and Development Board
- Chief Executive / Managing Director of Public Corporation
- Chief Secretary to AJK / Gilgit-Baltistan Government.
- Acting Secretary to the Government of Pakistan
BPS-22:
It is the Highest attainable and most prestigious designation. PAS Officers in BPS-22 may be appointed as
- Chairman of Autonomous Federal Organization
- Director-General of Autonomous Federal Department/Agency
- Managing Director / Chief Executive of Autonomous Public Corporation
- Federal Secretary
- Chief Secretary to Provincial Government
Why Choose PAS?
Joining the Pakistan Administrative Service is a dream career for CSS aspirants who want to serve Pakistan at the highest levels of governance. It offers:
✔️ Power & Prestige
✔️ Fast Promotions & Growth
✔️ Exciting Career Opportunities
✔️ Direct Impact on National Policies
If you have leadership skills, decision-making abilities, and a passion for public service, PAS is the best choice for your CSS journey! 🎯💼🇵🇰
1 Comment
I want to do prepration for CSS exam