A state’s success heavily depends on the efficiency and productivity of its governing structure. Effective public service delivery requires good governance, which is a fundamental requirement for any nation’s progress. Crucial governance-related reforms have not been implemented by subsequent governments in Pakistan, leading to the malice of poor governance haunting the country’s governing model. Good governance gains its strength from the pillars of equity, equality and inclusiveness.
A cornerstone of good governance lies in the enforcement of the rule of law. Tom Bingham highlights the importance of a robust rule of law in promoting good governance in his book “The Rule of Law: Its Nature and General Applications.” He stresses that the rule of law is essential for achieving justice, equality and accountability. The weak enforcement of laws in Pakistan has tragically eroded public trust in the system. The dream of good governance has been shattered due to pervasive corruption and unstoppable political influence, compromising the efficiency of the system. The prevailing culture of impunity in this environment enables powerful individuals to escape accountability, causing the crisis to worsen.
Additionally, effective governance is dependent on the delegation of power and the performance of local authorities. Local governments in Pakistan have remained mostly dysfunctional, resulting in citizens being denied meaningful participation in decision-making processes. The lack of local body empowerment has caused a centralized system that doesn’t meet people’s needs. The impact on public service delivery has been significant. The service provided by local bodies ensures people’s needs are met with their consent and choice. The idea of transferring power to the grass-root level has failed due to the dynastic nature of political parties. Consequently, the dream of good governance remains an unattainable ideal, with citizens feeling excluded and alienated from the governance process.
“Decentralization, Democracy and Development: Recent Experience from Sierra Leone” by John D. Montgomery delves into the advantages of devolution and its ability to promote better governance. Local bodies can enhance service delivery, promote citizen participation and strengthen accountability through empowerment. In addition to this, accountability and transparency serve as the bedrock of good governance. However, in Pakistan, weak accountability mechanisms and a lack of transparency have impeded progress. Public trust in institutions has been eroded by corruption, nepotism and favouritism, further undermining the dream of good governance. The absence of strong accountability systems has worsened the crisis by allowing systemic abuses to continue. Accountability and transparency require a robust institutional framework that holds corrupt individuals accountable while avoiding political victimization.
Pakistan’s inability to achieve this dream undermines the principles of good governance. Good governance necessitates a joint endeavour to bolster accountability organizations, advance transparency and ensure that those in authority are answerable for their deeds. The book “The Iron Law of Oligarchy” by Robert Michels discusses the difficulties of transparency and accountability in democratic organizations. According to him, power tends to centralize in a few individuals, which weakens accountability and causes failures in governance.
Furthermore, inclusive institutions form the backbone of good governance. By promoting efficiency and closing loopholes that cause suffering to people, inclusive institutions provide people in a country with maximum benefits. Inclusive institutions promote strong bonds across different segments of society by translating the idea of parity and equality into reality. However, extractive institutions empower only a few individuals. The principles of meritocracy are undermined by such institutions, creating resentment in the social structure. Talented individuals and disadvantaged groups are marginalized through this exclusionary approach, hindering their participation in the governance process.
Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson explore how institutions shape the destiny of nations in their book “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty. The argument is that inclusive institutions lead to good governance and economic prosperity, while extractive institutions lead to poverty and inequality. To establish good governance, Pakistan needs to adopt inclusive governance, which involves protecting the rights and interests of all citizens without discrimination and making decisions collectively. Moreover, efficient service delivery is crucial for good governance. To provide effective service, taking proactive measures is necessary to fulfil people’s needs and aspirations, saving them from unwanted troubles.
Establishing effective mechanisms for delivering services has been a challenge for Pakistan. The provision of essential services to the public has been hindered due to inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of skilled human resources and political tragedies. The compromised state of affairs has led to poor service delivery and its consequences for the people. Without efficient public service delivery, good governance is only a distant dream.
The dream of good governance is still unfulfilled as citizens face difficulties in accessing quality education, healthcare and basic amenities. To bridge this gap, it’s important to prioritize improving service delivery systems, invest in infrastructure development and promote the nation’s capacity building. Stephen P. Osborne examines different methods to enhance governance and improve service delivery in his book “The New Public Governance Emerging Perspectives on the Theory and Practice of Public Governance.” Efficient and effective public service provision is crucial for achieving good governance outcomes, as he highlights.
Pakistan’s pursuit of good governance is hindered by challenges related to the rule of law, working of local government, accountability and transparency, extractive institutions, inefficient service delivery, nepotism, corruption, political divisions and institutional rivalries. To reverse this trend, we must make a concerted effort to promote inclusive governance, accountability, transparency and the eradication of nepotism and corruption. We must resolve political differences through consensus and uphold the principles of separation of powers. It is necessary to alter the governance mechanism to guarantee the provision of basic amenities to the public.
Pakistan can transform its governance structure and improve the lives of its people by learning from successful governance models around the world. The absence of an improved governance mechanism will prevent the state from achieving economic, social and political prosperity. Strong willpower is all it takes. Willingness to make sacrifices to transform the governing structure of the country is necessary, but are we ready? Indeed, it won’t happen on its own, we have to make it happen.
—The writer is CSS Officer, based in Sargodha.
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