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NEED OF GOOD GOVERNCE IN PAKISTAN. WHAT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE
Good governance is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.” (Kofi Annan ) Good governance is an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Furthermore, Governance describes the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented or not implemented. Good governance can also be termed as the effective use of power, legislation of policies, transparent accountability, and development of human resources and supremacy of constitution with the absolute rule of law. It is a matter of serious concern that for more than three decades, the country has remained entangled in the oppressive clutches of dictatorship. Need for Good Governance in Pakistan “No one more sincerely wishes the spread of information among mankind than I do, and none has greater confidence in its effect towards supporting free and good government.” Thomas Jefferson “Good government does not mean autocratic government. Good government does not mean despotic government. Good government means, a government that is responsible to the representative of people.” (Jinnah, the Quaid of Pakistan.) Good governance is a continuous process that determines the fate of nation. It is a fundamental factor that is inevitable in taking the nation to the zenith of glory in the world community. Good governance is quite a wider term that encompasses within itself multiple factors that are considered inevitable for its proper implementation that includes democracy, rule of law, constitutional supremacy, accountability and public participation in decision-making. Unfortunately, the situation of good governance in Pakistan is quite gloomy and grim due to weak leadership ever since independence, incompetent administrative hierarchy and weak accountability accompanied with poor law and order situation. Democracy and good governance are interrelated to each other. In case there is no democracy, there can be no good governance. It is a matter of grave misfortune for the entire nation that ever since the birth of Pakistan, democracy could not flourish here due to frequent martial laws and unnecessary intervention of military dictators in the state affairs. It is a matter of serious concern that for more than three decades, the country has remained entangled in the oppressive clutches of dictatorship. In 1951, the country's first PM, Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated and in 1958, the first military coup was invoked. In 1971, the country went through the tragic episode of debacle of East Pakistan and in 1977 again Zia's martial law was imposed. The span of 1988 to 2000 saw acute political instability through dissolution of National assembly by another martial law. In the light of the up given picture of country's political situation, good governance seems a cry for the moon. Corruption is another crucial factor that can prove to be a serious impediment in the way of good governance. Corruption perception index 2011 by Transparency International ranks Pakistan at 134th position out of 183 countries which is alarmingly bad. India's ranking is much better (95th out of 183). Good governance is a distinct reality when the process of accountability of the corruption ridden elements is either weak or missing. National accountability Bureau was formulated in 1999 after military coup by general Musharraf, but the sad fact is that the said body suffers from corrupt practices and lack of accountability within itself, making it a laughing stock in the eyes of other national institutions. Another jerk to the governance was NRO formulated in Musharraf's era in 2007 to secure his otherwise illegal and unconstitutional reelection as the president. Pakistan today happens to be the classic example of ingenuities for bribery and exchange of favors. More than 7000 beneficiaries of this defunct law had to face reopening of their cases in 2009. This was an open violation of the principle of good governance. Effective and in time implementation of the law is another deciding factor in the process of good governance. Pakistan unfortunately has become a classic example of worst law and order situation. Every other day a substantial number of innocent citizens, who are just silent spectators, are targeted by the law enforcement agencies. Flourishing economy is one of the major components of good governance as both are interrelated in one way or the other. In Pakistan, economic governance is the victim of political instability. Pakistan's commission for human rights stated that 208 people committed suicide in August 2011, predominantly out of economic crisis. Good governance is pointed out as one of the largest goals in the Millennium development goals but in Pakistan nothing is realized on the ground except paper work. It must be remembered that economic prosperity and good governance are deeply interconnected. The alarming figures of crippled economy lead us to the prompt measures for ensuring good governance in the country. Political stability and efficient administrative hierarchy are the vibrant components of good governance. Both political leaders and beaurocracy go hand in hand for bringing about cult of good governance through effective implementation of public policies. The tradition of nepotism, lack of democratic norms and political recruitments on high government offices must be eliminated in order to promote transparency, accountability and supremacy of law at all levels. Moreover, the government should create an investment-friendly environment in order to boost up the economy and industrial activity as raising the standard of living is the key component of good governance. Law and order situation should be made conducive and encouraging for the foreign investors so the FDI may be enhanced for the ultimate benefit of the nation and the country at large. Most importantly, the government must also try to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of energy. New dams and barrages must be built without putting national and political stability at stake. Government should have control on the hoarding mafia, particularly those involved in the hoarding of eatable commodities. Having strict check on the inflation would increase the standard of living of the general masses at larger scale. Furthermore, imparting education and awareness to the common people is necessary to have good governance as the masses have to be the part of this process. 2.. The Quran as a Guide line for Good Governance read with Article 227 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973: "O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Qist (justice), as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts {of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do. [4/135]" "And O my people! Give measure and weight in Qist (justice) and reduce not the things that are due to the people, and do not commit mischief in the land causing corruption. The Role of Media in Good Governance After Pakistan came in to his existence, a number of newspapers were published, but due to financial problems and many other reasons, they did not continue their publication such as ROSHNI, INQALAB and MUSALMAN. The first news agency was APP (Associated Press of Pakistan). It was established in 1947. It was a private news agency since 1947 to 1961. Government took its control on 1961 by an ordinance. 43 Pakistani media started its role of public awareness, soon after the creation of Pakistan and gradually developed into a strong fourth pillar of the Government. In Pakistan, media is working freely and independently. In case of electronic media there are, a number of channels which are working including news, sports and entertainment channels. It is the responsibility of media to highlight those issues which are good for the public and discourage unethical factors of the society. Modern Media in Pakistan has played a positive role in highlighting the issues of national interest and starting a public debate which subsequently resulted in change of government policies. The clamor in the assembly over the rental power projects as well as mismanagement and corruption in key state enterprises like steel mills and sugar sector have been media driven eventually leading to unearthing of financial scams. The debates on Kerry-Lugar Bill in the media forced the parliament as well as the other stake holders in the government to initiate a debate and reconsider the terms and conditions in the proposed Kerry-Lugar Bill which were detrimental to the security and sovereignty of Pakistan. The media also exposed the strong sugar mafia within the corridors of power for which the journalist who exposed the mafia had to face the wrath of a sitting powerful minister.44 A responsible media and good governance go side by side. In the present democratic set up, the Pakistani media is not only helping to nurture proper and strengthen democracy but at times political agenda is increasingly being set by the media. The media is filling a political vacuum created by lack of informed or sustained debate in the Parliament. All issues of national importance are being discussed in the prime time TV talk shows among the politicians, political analysts and researchers which greatly influence the public opinion and change the way people think about politics and policies of the government. 45 Media's role in the advent of true democracy and good governance is not stressed enough. Media is recognized as the fourth pillar of the state. Media can prove to a vibrant factor in motivating public participation in national decision-making processes and can also create the awareness of rights and duties among the general public. Media can also bring government authorities under accountability for their violations of power and bad governance. To put in a nut shell, it may be stated that good governance is an inevitable phenomenon for the smooth working of any state machinery. Therefore, political stability, rule of law, constitutional supremacy and public participation in policy making and implementation must be ensured. The entire nation must think and act as one nation and collectively contribute for the prosperity of the country. Time is now ripe to come out of the false and baseless concepts of provincialism, sectarianism and nepotism. With all the leadership vacuum and political instability, the nation can still step ahead to create an environment, where good governance is not merely a dream “You will have to be alert, very alert, for the time for relaxation is not yet there. With faith, disciplined and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” (Jinnah, the Quaid of Pakistan. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE Participation All men and women should have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions that represent their interests. Such broad participation is built on freedom of association and speech, as well as capacities to participate constructively. Rule of law Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on human rights. Transparency Transparency is built on the free flow of information. Processes, institutions and information are directly accessible to those concerned with them, and enough information is provided to understand and monitor them. Responsiveness Institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders. Consensus orientation Good governance mediates differing interests to reach a broad consensus on what is in the best interests of the group and,. where possible, on policies and procedures. Equity All men and women have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being. Effectiveness and efficiency Processes and institutions produce results that meet needs while making the best use of resources. Accountability Decision-makers in government, the private sector and civil society organisations are accountable to the public, as well as to institutional stakeholders. This accountability differs depending on the organisations and whether the decision is internal or external to an organisation. Strategic vision Leaders and the public have a broad and long-term perspective on good governance and human development, along with a sense of what is needed for such development. There is also an understanding of the historical, cultural and social complexities in which that perspective is grounde Conclusion Good Governance is a must to run the state affairs in a transparent manner. For the achievement of this objective, it is imperative to appoint people of integrity to head all government institutions. The crisis of governance in Pakistan is extensive and it is almost in a state of collapse. All discretionary power at all government levels should be withdrawn and all decisions should be regulated by law and merit. All government jobs should be filled through merit to end the culture of approach and bribery. Kalashinkov culture, drug trafficking and smuggling should be eliminated through a systematic and effective reform programme. Good governance also means less expenditure on the government machinery, including a small cabinet and the government should follow the constitution in letter and spirit. The key to good governance lies in the fact that all state institutions should work within their limits. For example the legislature should legislate, the executive should execute laws and policies and the judiciary should interpret the constitution and laws. BAD GOVERNANCE AND ITS CAUSES The poor people of Pakistan today ask a genuine fundamental question, where are the government and what is it doing to end the current financial crisis prevailing in the country? Why has democracy not taken root in Pakistan? Why have the nation’s democratic institutions failed to sustain themselves? Why the masses more suffer during so called democratic regimes? How can Pakistan build and strengthen democratic institutions that provide good governance to solve its problems? Pakistan is facing constant dilemma of poor governance that has generated mistrust and has undermined the proficient and transparent delivery of public services and the implementation of programs in an efficient manner. The poverty has been growing in the country at alarming level and in just last three years of “democratic” regime, it has reached 40 percent from 17.13 per cent in 2008. Ordinary citizens already struggling to make ends meet are now increasing numbers find themselves challenged to procure even basic staples such as daal and flour. While poverty has intensified in this regime, the country’s long term prospects for achieving high growth are also being compromised by the low level of social sector investment. Pakistan’s level of human development is low for its level of income. Pakistan’s education indicators are the worst in South Asia. With the poor governance in three sectors, economic, political and institutional, the country, despite having huge natural resources, has now entered into stagflation, which is the worst-ever scenario. Thrust, intolerance and corruption have plagued the politics of Pakistan. Having failed to address any of these issues the government has lost its credibility and trust at home. The government is also using institutions for its personal benefits, which is causing a clash among the institutions. Investment is rapidly flying from Pakistan due to unfavorable economic environment in the country. Energy crisis is negatively affecting the industry and a number of industries have been closed down due to unavailability of gas and electricity. Good governance is the significant issue of sustainable economic development amongst other factors. It is the instrument of political, economic and administrative authorities to manage nation’s affairs. However governance in Pakistan is almost in a state of collapse. The effects of poor governance have compounded the economic causes of rising poverty such as decline in GDP growth rate, increasing indebtedness, inflation, falling public investment and poor state of physical infrastructure. Pakistan is today faced with a multitude of crises ranging from energy shortages to breakdown of law and order to violence and terror, creating a sense of insecurity and frustration that is eating into the vitals of the nation’s identity and dignity, the root cause being the lack of good governance. It is only good governance which creates a good environment for investment, including investment in people, and leads to higher income, reduces poverty, and provides better social indicators. The performance of bureaucracy at various tiers of the government is ineffective and inefficient mainly on account of inappropriate and whimsical appointments, postings and promotions. This state of affairs needs to take immediate corrective measures to restore the confidence of civil servants to ensure that they work with complete commitment and to the best of their abilities. This will require elimination of the dead wood, de-politicization of services and encouraging the qualified and the competent. At the same time, social factors such as the highly unequal distribution of land, low level of human development, and persistent ethnic and sectarian conflicts are also obstacles to the achievement of long term sustained development. The Zardari-led Gillani Government is being widely seen as inept and corrupt where appointments are being made on the basis of cronyism, rather than genuine merits. Cancer of corruption has widespread in Pakistan and requires a strong surgical operation in which even if ten innocent people are sacrificed for the head of one guilty person, it is worth it, let not the corrupt bureaucrats take the cover of their connections and disciplinary rules. But main hurdle in such efforts is political leadership itself. Gilani has the distinction of presiding over the history’s largest and perhaps the most incompetent Cabinet. New ministries have been created to accommodate political cronies providing them sinecure jobs, by elevating small departments like postal services and textiles to federal ministry level. Pakistan at the moment needs an honest and strong leader who is a symbol of national unity. However, if the current government continues along the path that it currently seems to be treading upon, then we have every reason to believe that the problems and challenges that our country today faces, both, internal and external, would further aggravate with the passage of time. The institutions of the president and prime minister deemed to be the symbol of unity and integrity appear to be as unmindful of public miseries and the need for austerity as their predecessors. Like it has been happening, the present government has been blaming the previous government of all the bad things it supposedly had inherited. Inflation, electricity, gas outrages etc. Moreover, what the worthy federal ministers have to say in this regard? Electricity tariff is to be further raised and so will be charges for natural gas consumption. Petrol prices are being frequently revised upwardly without cutting the taxes and realizing its worsening impact on the national economy. Although accountability is the keynote of Islamic character yet it is not only emitted in the constitution of Pakistan but also not found even in the character of the rulers, this is a word unknown to the rulers of Pakistan, unless accountability is introduced with all the seriousness. The process of accountability not only be swift and sure but also transparent. that it demands, the ills and curses inflicting the country will continue to inflict. Accountability should be irrespective of personalities. There is no effective system of drafting legislation, making budget appropriations, holding hearings with experts, and subsequent oversight by specialized parliamentary committees. People who chair such committees don’t have much of a clue as to where to begin, what questions to ask, and how to hold the executive and the bureaucracy accountable. As a result, once the laws and policies are approved, and budgets passed, there is not much oversight or accountability. IMF and the World Bank have advanced liberal loans to be used for the rich in the country and poor man repays these loans. It has been the curse of Pakistan that the same parties and same politicians with the same objective of greed and self-interest are seen in the media. The feudal character which pervades the ruling elite has also sneaked into the democratic character of the political parties, the president-ship of the party is handed down to the son or the daughter of the retiring president, there may be a few exceptions. At times the largest Islamic state in the world and pride of the Muslim Ummah as the only Muslim nuclear power in the world is today placed lower even to Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, and Iran among others due to inefficient and corrupt leadership. For creation of jobs, the government must focus on the SME sector and increase its growth from 20 to 25 per cent while providing them loans from financial sector. The larger the number of people involved in nation building activities will result in increase in our production, hence the fruits of progress and prosperity could be shared by the nation at large, there is no dearth of efficient and honest people in Pakistan, of course there is dearth of sincere, honest and selfless leaders whose place has been usurped by the greedy politicians. The rulers should know the economy flourishes and the masses become satisfied if middle and poor class segments of the society flourish. If only upper class flourishes no one can prevent a bloody revolution. (……………………………………………………………………………………..) This material is collected from differnet web pages like wikipedia, other blogs etc
NEED OF GOOD GOVERNCE IN PAKISTAN. WHAT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE
Good governance is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.” (Kofi Annan ) Good governance is an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Furthermore, Governance describes the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented or not implemented. Good governance can also be termed as the effective use of power, legislation of policies, transparent accountability, and development of human resources and supremacy of constitution with the absolute rule of law. It is a matter of serious concern that for more than three decades, the country has remained entangled in the oppressive clutches of dictatorship. Need for Good Governance in Pakistan “No one more sincerely wishes the spread of information among mankind than I do, and none has greater confidence in its effect towards supporting free and good government.” Thomas Jefferson “Good government does not mean autocratic government. Good government does not mean despotic government. Good government means, a government that is responsible to the representative of people.” (Jinnah, the Quaid of Pakistan.) Good governance is a continuous process that determines the fate of nation. It is a fundamental factor that is inevitable in taking the nation to the zenith of glory in the world community. Good governance is quite a wider term that encompasses within itself multiple factors that are considered inevitable for its proper implementation that includes democracy, rule of law, constitutional supremacy, accountability and public participation in decision-making. Unfortunately, the situation of good governance in Pakistan is quite gloomy and grim due to weak leadership ever since independence, incompetent administrative hierarchy and weak accountability accompanied with poor law and order situation. Democracy and good governance are interrelated to each other. In case there is no democracy, there can be no good governance. It is a matter of grave misfortune for the entire nation that ever since the birth of Pakistan, democracy could not flourish here due to frequent martial laws and unnecessary intervention of military dictators in the state affairs. It is a matter of serious concern that for more than three decades, the country has remained entangled in the oppressive clutches of dictatorship. In 1951, the country's first PM, Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated and in 1958, the first military coup was invoked. In 1971, the country went through the tragic episode of debacle of East Pakistan and in 1977 again Zia's martial law was imposed. The span of 1988 to 2000 saw acute political instability through dissolution of National assembly by another martial law. In the light of the up given picture of country's political situation, good governance seems a cry for the moon. Corruption is another crucial factor that can prove to be a serious impediment in the way of good governance. Corruption perception index 2011 by Transparency International ranks Pakistan at 134th position out of 183 countries which is alarmingly bad. India's ranking is much better (95th out of 183). Good governance is a distinct reality when the process of accountability of the corruption ridden elements is either weak or missing. National accountability Bureau was formulated in 1999 after military coup by general Musharraf, but the sad fact is that the said body suffers from corrupt practices and lack of accountability within itself, making it a laughing stock in the eyes of other national institutions. Another jerk to the governance was NRO formulated in Musharraf's era in 2007 to secure his otherwise illegal and unconstitutional reelection as the president. Pakistan today happens to be the classic example of ingenuities for bribery and exchange of favors. More than 7000 beneficiaries of this defunct law had to face reopening of their cases in 2009. This was an open violation of the principle of good governance. Effective and in time implementation of the law is another deciding factor in the process of good governance. Pakistan unfortunately has become a classic example of worst law and order situation. Every other day a substantial number of innocent citizens, who are just silent spectators, are targeted by the law enforcement agencies. Flourishing economy is one of the major components of good governance as both are interrelated in one way or the other. In Pakistan, economic governance is the victim of political instability. Pakistan's commission for human rights stated that 208 people committed suicide in August 2011, predominantly out of economic crisis. Good governance is pointed out as one of the largest goals in the Millennium development goals but in Pakistan nothing is realized on the ground except paper work. It must be remembered that economic prosperity and good governance are deeply interconnected. The alarming figures of crippled economy lead us to the prompt measures for ensuring good governance in the country. Political stability and efficient administrative hierarchy are the vibrant components of good governance. Both political leaders and beaurocracy go hand in hand for bringing about cult of good governance through effective implementation of public policies. The tradition of nepotism, lack of democratic norms and political recruitments on high government offices must be eliminated in order to promote transparency, accountability and supremacy of law at all levels. Moreover, the government should create an investment-friendly environment in order to boost up the economy and industrial activity as raising the standard of living is the key component of good governance. Law and order situation should be made conducive and encouraging for the foreign investors so the FDI may be enhanced for the ultimate benefit of the nation and the country at large. Most importantly, the government must also try to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of energy. New dams and barrages must be built without putting national and political stability at stake. Government should have control on the hoarding mafia, particularly those involved in the hoarding of eatable commodities. Having strict check on the inflation would increase the standard of living of the general masses at larger scale. Furthermore, imparting education and awareness to the common people is necessary to have good governance as the masses have to be the part of this process. 2.. The Quran as a Guide line for Good Governance read with Article 227 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973: "O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Qist (justice), as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts {of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do. [4/135]" "And O my people! Give measure and weight in Qist (justice) and reduce not the things that are due to the people, and do not commit mischief in the land causing corruption. The Role of Media in Good Governance After Pakistan came in to his existence, a number of newspapers were published, but due to financial problems and many other reasons, they did not continue their publication such as ROSHNI, INQALAB and MUSALMAN. The first news agency was APP (Associated Press of Pakistan). It was established in 1947. It was a private news agency since 1947 to 1961. Government took its control on 1961 by an ordinance. 43 Pakistani media started its role of public awareness, soon after the creation of Pakistan and gradually developed into a strong fourth pillar of the Government. In Pakistan, media is working freely and independently. In case of electronic media there are, a number of channels which are working including news, sports and entertainment channels. It is the responsibility of media to highlight those issues which are good for the public and discourage unethical factors of the society. Modern Media in Pakistan has played a positive role in highlighting the issues of national interest and starting a public debate which subsequently resulted in change of government policies. The clamor in the assembly over the rental power projects as well as mismanagement and corruption in key state enterprises like steel mills and sugar sector have been media driven eventually leading to unearthing of financial scams. The debates on Kerry-Lugar Bill in the media forced the parliament as well as the other stake holders in the government to initiate a debate and reconsider the terms and conditions in the proposed Kerry-Lugar Bill which were detrimental to the security and sovereignty of Pakistan. The media also exposed the strong sugar mafia within the corridors of power for which the journalist who exposed the mafia had to face the wrath of a sitting powerful minister.44 A responsible media and good governance go side by side. In the present democratic set up, the Pakistani media is not only helping to nurture proper and strengthen democracy but at times political agenda is increasingly being set by the media. The media is filling a political vacuum created by lack of informed or sustained debate in the Parliament. All issues of national importance are being discussed in the prime time TV talk shows among the politicians, political analysts and researchers which greatly influence the public opinion and change the way people think about politics and policies of the government. 45 Media's role in the advent of true democracy and good governance is not stressed enough. Media is recognized as the fourth pillar of the state. Media can prove to a vibrant factor in motivating public participation in national decision-making processes and can also create the awareness of rights and duties among the general public. Media can also bring government authorities under accountability for their violations of power and bad governance. To put in a nut shell, it may be stated that good governance is an inevitable phenomenon for the smooth working of any state machinery. Therefore, political stability, rule of law, constitutional supremacy and public participation in policy making and implementation must be ensured. The entire nation must think and act as one nation and collectively contribute for the prosperity of the country. Time is now ripe to come out of the false and baseless concepts of provincialism, sectarianism and nepotism. With all the leadership vacuum and political instability, the nation can still step ahead to create an environment, where good governance is not merely a dream “You will have to be alert, very alert, for the time for relaxation is not yet there. With faith, disciplined and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” (Jinnah, the Quaid of Pakistan. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE Participation All men and women should have a voice in decision-making, either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions that represent their interests. Such broad participation is built on freedom of association and speech, as well as capacities to participate constructively. Rule of law Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on human rights. Transparency Transparency is built on the free flow of information. Processes, institutions and information are directly accessible to those concerned with them, and enough information is provided to understand and monitor them. Responsiveness Institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders. Consensus orientation Good governance mediates differing interests to reach a broad consensus on what is in the best interests of the group and,. where possible, on policies and procedures. Equity All men and women have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being. Effectiveness and efficiency Processes and institutions produce results that meet needs while making the best use of resources. Accountability Decision-makers in government, the private sector and civil society organisations are accountable to the public, as well as to institutional stakeholders. This accountability differs depending on the organisations and whether the decision is internal or external to an organisation. Strategic vision Leaders and the public have a broad and long-term perspective on good governance and human development, along with a sense of what is needed for such development. There is also an understanding of the historical, cultural and social complexities in which that perspective is grounde Conclusion Good Governance is a must to run the state affairs in a transparent manner. For the achievement of this objective, it is imperative to appoint people of integrity to head all government institutions. The crisis of governance in Pakistan is extensive and it is almost in a state of collapse. All discretionary power at all government levels should be withdrawn and all decisions should be regulated by law and merit. All government jobs should be filled through merit to end the culture of approach and bribery. Kalashinkov culture, drug trafficking and smuggling should be eliminated through a systematic and effective reform programme. Good governance also means less expenditure on the government machinery, including a small cabinet and the government should follow the constitution in letter and spirit. The key to good governance lies in the fact that all state institutions should work within their limits. For example the legislature should legislate, the executive should execute laws and policies and the judiciary should interpret the constitution and laws. BAD GOVERNANCE AND ITS CAUSES The poor people of Pakistan today ask a genuine fundamental question, where are the government and what is it doing to end the current financial crisis prevailing in the country? Why has democracy not taken root in Pakistan? Why have the nation’s democratic institutions failed to sustain themselves? Why the masses more suffer during so called democratic regimes? How can Pakistan build and strengthen democratic institutions that provide good governance to solve its problems? Pakistan is facing constant dilemma of poor governance that has generated mistrust and has undermined the proficient and transparent delivery of public services and the implementation of programs in an efficient manner. The poverty has been growing in the country at alarming level and in just last three years of “democratic” regime, it has reached 40 percent from 17.13 per cent in 2008. Ordinary citizens already struggling to make ends meet are now increasing numbers find themselves challenged to procure even basic staples such as daal and flour. While poverty has intensified in this regime, the country’s long term prospects for achieving high growth are also being compromised by the low level of social sector investment. Pakistan’s level of human development is low for its level of income. Pakistan’s education indicators are the worst in South Asia. With the poor governance in three sectors, economic, political and institutional, the country, despite having huge natural resources, has now entered into stagflation, which is the worst-ever scenario. Thrust, intolerance and corruption have plagued the politics of Pakistan. Having failed to address any of these issues the government has lost its credibility and trust at home. The government is also using institutions for its personal benefits, which is causing a clash among the institutions. Investment is rapidly flying from Pakistan due to unfavorable economic environment in the country. Energy crisis is negatively affecting the industry and a number of industries have been closed down due to unavailability of gas and electricity. Good governance is the significant issue of sustainable economic development amongst other factors. It is the instrument of political, economic and administrative authorities to manage nation’s affairs. However governance in Pakistan is almost in a state of collapse. The effects of poor governance have compounded the economic causes of rising poverty such as decline in GDP growth rate, increasing indebtedness, inflation, falling public investment and poor state of physical infrastructure. Pakistan is today faced with a multitude of crises ranging from energy shortages to breakdown of law and order to violence and terror, creating a sense of insecurity and frustration that is eating into the vitals of the nation’s identity and dignity, the root cause being the lack of good governance. It is only good governance which creates a good environment for investment, including investment in people, and leads to higher income, reduces poverty, and provides better social indicators. The performance of bureaucracy at various tiers of the government is ineffective and inefficient mainly on account of inappropriate and whimsical appointments, postings and promotions. This state of affairs needs to take immediate corrective measures to restore the confidence of civil servants to ensure that they work with complete commitment and to the best of their abilities. This will require elimination of the dead wood, de-politicization of services and encouraging the qualified and the competent. At the same time, social factors such as the highly unequal distribution of land, low level of human development, and persistent ethnic and sectarian conflicts are also obstacles to the achievement of long term sustained development. The Zardari-led Gillani Government is being widely seen as inept and corrupt where appointments are being made on the basis of cronyism, rather than genuine merits. Cancer of corruption has widespread in Pakistan and requires a strong surgical operation in which even if ten innocent people are sacrificed for the head of one guilty person, it is worth it, let not the corrupt bureaucrats take the cover of their connections and disciplinary rules. But main hurdle in such efforts is political leadership itself. Gilani has the distinction of presiding over the history’s largest and perhaps the most incompetent Cabinet. New ministries have been created to accommodate political cronies providing them sinecure jobs, by elevating small departments like postal services and textiles to federal ministry level. Pakistan at the moment needs an honest and strong leader who is a symbol of national unity. However, if the current government continues along the path that it currently seems to be treading upon, then we have every reason to believe that the problems and challenges that our country today faces, both, internal and external, would further aggravate with the passage of time. The institutions of the president and prime minister deemed to be the symbol of unity and integrity appear to be as unmindful of public miseries and the need for austerity as their predecessors. Like it has been happening, the present government has been blaming the previous government of all the bad things it supposedly had inherited. Inflation, electricity, gas outrages etc. Moreover, what the worthy federal ministers have to say in this regard? Electricity tariff is to be further raised and so will be charges for natural gas consumption. Petrol prices are being frequently revised upwardly without cutting the taxes and realizing its worsening impact on the national economy. Although accountability is the keynote of Islamic character yet it is not only emitted in the constitution of Pakistan but also not found even in the character of the rulers, this is a word unknown to the rulers of Pakistan, unless accountability is introduced with all the seriousness. The process of accountability not only be swift and sure but also transparent. that it demands, the ills and curses inflicting the country will continue to inflict. Accountability should be irrespective of personalities. There is no effective system of drafting legislation, making budget appropriations, holding hearings with experts, and subsequent oversight by specialized parliamentary committees. People who chair such committees don’t have much of a clue as to where to begin, what questions to ask, and how to hold the executive and the bureaucracy accountable. As a result, once the laws and policies are approved, and budgets passed, there is not much oversight or accountability. IMF and the World Bank have advanced liberal loans to be used for the rich in the country and poor man repays these loans. It has been the curse of Pakistan that the same parties and same politicians with the same objective of greed and self-interest are seen in the media. The feudal character which pervades the ruling elite has also sneaked into the democratic character of the political parties, the president-ship of the party is handed down to the son or the daughter of the retiring president, there may be a few exceptions. At times the largest Islamic state in the world and pride of the Muslim Ummah as the only Muslim nuclear power in the world is today placed lower even to Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, and Iran among others due to inefficient and corrupt leadership. For creation of jobs, the government must focus on the SME sector and increase its growth from 20 to 25 per cent while providing them loans from financial sector. The larger the number of people involved in nation building activities will result in increase in our production, hence the fruits of progress and prosperity could be shared by the nation at large, there is no dearth of efficient and honest people in Pakistan, of course there is dearth of sincere, honest and selfless leaders whose place has been usurped by the greedy politicians. The rulers should know the economy flourishes and the masses become satisfied if middle and poor class segments of the society flourish. If only upper class flourishes no one can prevent a bloody revolution. (……………………………………………………………………………………..) This material is collected from differnet web pages like wikipedia, other blogs etc
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