District coordination officer (DCO) was the administrative head of the newly formed district and city district governments on 14-Aug-2001 in Pakistan and a senior officer belonging from the provincial or federal government service cadre. He was often denoted as ''Commissioner' in bureaucracy due to equivalent grade. The officer supervised the affairs of all the public offices and public facilities in the district or a city district for purposes of integrated development, efficient use of public resources and effective service delivery. The officer ensures that the standards set by the government in respect of a public facility are fully observed and supervises and coordinates the implementation of the policies, instructions and guidelines of the government.

The Pakistan Administrative Service, or PAS is an elite cadre of the Civil Services of Pakistan. The Pakistan Administrative Service over the years has emerged as the most consolidated and developed post-colonial institution in Pakistan, with the PAS officers of Grade 22 often seen as stronger than the federal government ministers. The service of PAS is generalist in nature and officers are assigned to different departments all across Pakistan during the course of their careers. Almost all of the country's highest-profile positions such as the Federal Secretaries, the provincial Chief Secretaries, and chairmen of top-heavy organizations like the National Highway Authority, Trading Corporation of Pakistan and State Life Insurance Corporation usually belong to the Pakistan Administrative Service.