All policies require sincere human interventions in order to be successful. Such interventions have to be collaborative, recognising the strengths and energies of everyone involved. No one is entitled to brandish their fragile egos by using administrative force for their own selfish purposes. However, when it comes to Pakistan’s politics, personal egos always reign supreme over moral principles.
Untamed hubris has plagued any recent dialogue between the Centre and the provinces while human resources have been compartmentalised in hierarchies of command and obedience in order for politicians to maintain their power. Alternative views are dealt with iron hands and disciplinary proceedings only end in favour of influential individuals. This is what ails administrative governance in Sindh. It is ironic that everyone in a position of power is a feudal lord or lady of sorts, an idea heavily borrowed from the British colonial powers of the past.
No doubt cultures affect institutions but conscientious individuals live by certain values. Sadly, there is hardly any space for such people in the Sindh government as they are deemed useless when it comes to carrying out selfish motives. There is hardly any consensus involved in decision-making because sound technical advice is given cold shoulder. Plans and policies are framed in silos by chain-smoking nocturnal bureaucrats. This sad state of affairs is causing the severe mismanagement, the brunt of which the common man is forced to bear.
Hassan Sindhi
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2020.
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