Public Service Ethics: Conceptual Understanding and Best Practices

A 2 hours 15 minutes workshop on "Public Service Ethics: Conceptual Understanding and Best Practices" was conducted by Ms. Arifa Saboohi for participants of 47^th MCMC on August 12, 2026 at NIPA Lahore. The guest speaker introduced public service ethics as moral principles and values that guide the conduct and behavior of individuals serving in public organizations to ensure that public servants act in best interest of citizens. She discussed two major philosophical approaches to ethical decision-making. The consequential approach assesses an action in terms of its consequences whereas duty-based approach considers intent and underlying duty in determining whether an action is right or wrong. Building upon these approaches, the guest speaker discussed ethical dilemmas faced by civil servants particularly situations where alternative courses of action may each be supported by valid reasons. The participants were guided on how such dilemmas may be approached and resolved while maintaining ethical standards and public interest. The workshop remained interactive throughout with participants sharing ethical dilemmas encountered during their professional careers and discussing how these situations were addressed. The session ended by emphasizing importance of ethical judgement, integrity and adherence to public service values in ensuring responsible decision-making and maintaining public trust. The session ended with a vote of thanks to guest speaker by Sponsor DS.