Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan: Role, Powers and the Current Office-Holder
The Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan is the most powerful civil servant in the country — the administrative head of the Cabinet Division, the Prime Minister’s chief bureaucratic adviser, and the official who sits at the PM’s right hand in every federal cabinet meeting. This guide explains the office’s powers, how the secretary is appointed, and who holds it now.
Quick answer: The Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan is the Federal Secretary to the Cabinet and administrative head of the Cabinet Division. Usually the senior-most BPS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, appointed by the Prime Minister, the secretary advises the PM, heads the secretaries’ committee, and records federal cabinet proceedings. As of 2026, the office is held by Kamran Ali Afzal.
In this guide
The Role and Its Powers
The Cabinet Secretary serves as the Federal Secretary to the Cabinet of Pakistan and the administrative head of the Cabinet Division — the secretariat, established on 14 August 1947 and headquartered on Constitution Avenue, Islamabad, that provides bureaucratic support between the Cabinet and the Prime Minister and coordinates the federal ministries and divisions. The secretary’s core functions: policy advice to the Prime Minister and cabinet; coordination across ministries; custody of cabinet business — agendas, summaries, minutes; and leadership of the secretaries’ committee, giving the officeholder a direct say in the transfers, postings and promotions of senior civil servants in BPS-20, 21 and 22.
Appointment and Rank
The Cabinet Secretary is appointed by the Prime Minister and is conventionally the senior-most BPS-22 grade officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service — the country’s premier civil service. The appointment is the capstone of a bureaucratic career: the officer has typically served as a federal secretary in major divisions before elevation. For how the cabinet itself works, see our federal cabinet guide.
The Secretary in Cabinet Meetings
During meetings of the federal cabinet, the Cabinet Secretary sits on the right-hand side of the Prime Minister — the physical symbol of the office’s centrality. The secretary presents the agenda, guides discussion through the summaries prepared by the Cabinet Division, records the decisions, and issues the confirmed minutes that become the authoritative record. The secretary is also co-opted to key cabinet committees, including the Economic Coordination Committee.
The Current Cabinet Secretary
As of 2026, the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan is Kamran Ali Afzal. The Cabinet Division operates under the Prime Minister — who retains the Cabinet Division portfolio — and its work is published through cabinet.gov.pk. Office-holders change with governments and retirements, so the Cabinet Division’s website remains the authoritative source for the incumbent. For the ministers the secretary serves, see our current federal ministers list.
What is the BPS grade of the Cabinet Secretary?
BPS-22 — the highest grade in Pakistan’s civil service. The appointee is usually the senior-most BPS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service.
Who appoints the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan?
The Prime Minister of Pakistan appoints the Cabinet Secretary.
What is the difference between the Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Secretary to the PM?
The Cabinet Secretary heads the Cabinet Division and serves the cabinet as a whole; the Principal Secretary heads the Prime Minister’s Office and serves the PM personally. Both are BPS-22 officers, but their institutional roles differ.
