Crisis of Good Governance in Pakistan

An essay outline regarding the CSS and other competitive examinations relating to the topic of crisis or bad governance, essentials, causes and remedies.

Introduction

Good governance is a prerequisite for social harmony, public order, political stability, economic prosperity and certainty about future. It delivers the fruit of progress and development evenly to all and sundry. Good governance is required at all levels of society and state.

Essentials of good governance
Promotion of national cohesion
National integration
Institutional supremacy
Independent judiciary
Constitutional supremacy
Rule of law
Political stability
Educational opportunities
Socio-economic development
Equal distribution of resources
Welfare state with provision of social securities
Strong writ of the government on all fronts

Situation of governance in Pakistan
Forces of disintegration — stronger than forces of cohesion
Weak writ of the government
Absence of independent judiciary
No rule of law
Political instability
Interprovincial conflicts
Unequal distribution of resources
Pakistan presenting a picture of extreme bad governance on all national fronts

Causes

Political causes
Parliament, a toothless tiger
Political instability due to constant military interference
Issue of provincialism on revenue, resources and demand of provincial autonomy

Administrative causes
Bureaucratic hold on all institutions
Political interference on bureaucracy
Corruption, mother of all evils
Absence of culture of accountability
Mismanagement of resources
Pakistan, a soft state because of inability of implementation of policies due to lack of consensus

Economic causes  
Fragile economy – FDI shrinking on account of terrorism and political instability
Crisis of energy, food, water
Corruption from top to bottom creating burden on the government exchequer

Social causes
Poverty’ 40 per cent population living below the poverty line (UN reports)
Over population -16.6 crore ( Economic Survey of Pakistan 2009)
Illiteracy leading to socio-economic backwardness

Remedies
Pakistan is in dire need of truly capable leadership
Strong anti-corruption campaigns strengthening National Accountability Bureau
Strict accountability of all government servants in particular and common masses in general
Investment in socio-economic development
Allocation of seven per cent GDP for education
Three per cent for population control
Three per cent for poverty alleviation
Generation of new employment opportunities
Equal distribution of resources
Ensuring freedom of press