Amna Baig, Daryan Khatun Memon, Mukhtar Paras, Tariq Javed Mengal and Azhar Ali Khan were declared the most honest government employees of the country for the year 2020. The 5 most honest government employees of Pakistan for the year 2020 were announced in a ceremony held at Serena Hotel on Tuesday. Amna Baig, ASP Frontier Constabulary Lines Islamabad, Durian Khatun Memon, Principal Government Girls Lower Secondary School Sukkur Sindh, Mukhtar Paras, Director General of the Secretariat Training Institute Islamabad, Tariq Javed Mengal, Deputy Commissioner Qila Abdullah Balochistan and Azhar Ali , Chief Conservator of Forest Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was given awards for their outstanding work, honesty and integrity in their respective fields.
The Integrity Icon is an annual campaign that tests accountable leadership, transparency and integrity in Pakistan’s civil service. Through this campaign, the most honest and sincere government employees from all over the country are sought and appreciated. The Integrity Icon campaign has completed its five years in Pakistan and this time the campaign received more than 100 entries from across the country, which were examined by a jury of the most capable people in the civil service, educational institutions and civil society. The five winning icons were honored in the eyes of their fellow employees, their officers and especially the Pakistani people for their public service spirit and honest work – thousands of people from across the country sent their favorites via SMS and online. Icons voted and millions of people saw them on social media platforms.
Director Civil Services Academy Lahore Zulfiqar Younis appreciated the efforts of Accountability Lab Pakistan and congratulated the icons who won this year. He said that “Integrity Icon Awards have gained fame among government employees of Pakistan.” Accountability Lab Pakistan has trained 270 young bureaucrats under the Accountable Leadership Program. The young bureaucrats who are about to enter the world of bureaucracy are equipped with the skills of accountability and transparency, by adopting the values of honesty, transparency and self-accountability, they will be distinguished in their respective departments.
All the winning Icons have a reputation in their respective fields for their spirit of public service, hatred of corruption and good governance. Azhar Ali Khan, as the Chief Conservator of Forests in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department, enacted laws to protect forests from deforestation alone and removed the role of middleman to acquire land from small farmers. According to Fayyaz Yaseen, Country Director of Accountability Lab Pakistan, “During this year’s Icons Campaign, we have seen a tremendous response from Pakistani citizens, proving that they appreciate the efforts of their honest government employees. We must move beyond embarrassing corrupt public servants and commend those who have made Pakistan famous by embracing the values of honesty, integrity and accountability. ”
Speaking on the occasion, Thomas Seller, Deputy Head of the European Union in Pakistan, said: “Today we appreciate Pakistani government employees who have maintained integrity and dignity in the service – this professionalism of every Pakistani citizen is in the best interests of the EU. The EU has always supported improved accountability in the use of financial resources.”
Addressing the participants, the Ambassador of Denmark to Pakistan, Ms. Lis Rosenholm, said, “I am proud to be part of the Integrity Icon Movement, through which role models are being developed and honest government employees are being appreciated. – Honesty is essential for all walks of life and without it corruption and inequality spreads in society. Denmark ranks first among the least corrupt countries in the world in the Corruption Perceptions Index – due to a strong governance structure based on the hard work of the public sector and regulatory bodies to hold the government accountable whenever they want. Denmark’s public sector is based on a very transparent and integrated foundation that operates without any bribes and as a result, the environment here is conducive to business and the public. Is safe and sustainable – I hope campaigns like the Integrity Icon will help build a corruption-free Pakistan.”
To learn more about the newly selected Icons, visit the Accountability Lab’s website, which includes detailed videos about the Icons. The Integrity Icon movement, which started in Nepal in 2014, has now become global and has reached 10 countries: Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mali, Nigeria, Liberia, South Africa, the United States and Mexico. In all countries, local Accountability Lab teams run national campaigns to find employees who perform their duties with the utmost honesty. Such employees are usually selected and nominated through a public voting process, culminating in the selection of an event for the winning candidates in the annual campaign.
The Integrity Icon Campaign in Pakistan has completed five years in which it received hundreds of nominations from across the country this year. The Integrity Icon Campaign in Pakistan is being run
by Accountability Lab Pakistan. Creating a new generation of leaders. The organization is running a highly competitive Accountability Incubator for young civil society workers in Pakistan and is introducing new dimensions of civic response.
Article originally published in Baaghi TV