Mr. Tariq Masood Khosa was invited, on 2nd September 2024, to deliver a keynote address to the participants of 41″ MCMC. He shared his experiences, insights, and lessons learnt during service. Mr. Khosa joined Punjab civil service in 1973 and police service in 1976. He served as DG FIA. IG Balochistan, DG National Police Bureau, and Secretary Narcotics Division. He is a Hubert Humphrey fellow in Public Administration from the University of Washington. He is the author of two books, viz: “The Faltering State: Pakistan’s Internal Security Landscape” and “Inconvenient Truths: Pakistan’s Governance Challenges”.

Mr. Tariq Khosa focused on sharing his service experiences and the lessons learnt with the participants. He shared an anecdote about his intriguing moment meeting with Mr. Z. A. Bhutto during the Islamic Summit in Lahore, where he served as an Executive Magistrate. In 1979. Khosa began his field career as ASP Sheikhupura, an urban subdivision, followed by postings in the rural subdivisions of Pakpattan and Jhang City. These postings were planned by the Inspector General of Police to expose him to various challenges. Mr. Khosa also shared unforgettable memories from his postings in Balochistan as Additional SP Quetta, SP Sibbi, and IGP. Mr. Khosa also recounted his experiences with election rigging during the Tajpura election of Mustafa Khar in 1974 and Zia ul Haq’s referendum in 1984. He also shared how he handled political pressure during his career and role of senior officers as mentors in supporting and guiding their subordinates.

Mr. Khosa emphasized on promoting good governance, principle of impartiality, integrity. transparency, and honesty. He highlighted that the 40 years he spent in service were full of issues, challenges, and lessons learned. He advised the participants to be polite and calm but firm while handling difficult situations. He also advised participants to remain apolitical and take decisions on merit, without fear of transfer and posting which are a part of service of a civil servant. He emphasized that courage and tireless work are the foundations of success.