Pakistan, March 1 -- The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), a 77-year-old institution once celebrated as Pakistan's bastion of meritocracy, has fallen silent. Since November 2024, its monthly ritual of job advertisements - a lifeline for thousands of civil service aspirants - has abruptly ceased. This unexplained hiatus has not only disrupted the dreams of a generation but also exposed systemic vulnerabilities in a nation where 64 percent of the population is under 30, and youth unemployment hovers at 11.6 percent. The FPSC's dormancy is more than an administrative lapse; it is a crisis of trust, opportunity, and governance that demands urgent reckoning.

For decades, the FPSC has been a symbol of hope, offering a rare level playin...