The bureaucrats have yet to receive a clear-cut unambiguous warning from the prime minister that they are servants of the state only and not of any sitting government which may come and go as it is always transitory in nature. They should never ever implement any order which is against the law of the land. Moreover, if any person, no matter how well placed he is in government, or society, makes any recommendation to them in any case which is illegal they should refuse him point blank and if any political pressure is brought to bear on them for performing any illegal act they should bring it to the notice of the CM in case of province and to the PM in case it relates to the federal government through proper channel.
It is a pity that like many other directives of the founder of the nation the politicians as well as the bureaucracy have conveniently forgotten his address to the civil servants back in 1948 in which he had made it clear on them that they are answerable to the state only.
Heavens would not fall if the bureaucrats decide that henceforth they are not going to carry out illegal orders of their political masters. The most that can be done to them in case of their refusal to perform an illegal act is that they would be posted as OSD. Nobody is going to hang them. To remain an OSD for some time is much better than facing ignominy and insult that becomes the fate of persons like Fawad Hasan Fawad or Ahad Cheema and officers of their ilk.
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