Good governance in Pakistan

public participation, national consistency, national integration needed for good governance

Good governance or its absence is a central theme in Pakistan. For the state to perform effectively, good governance is needed at all levels. The existence of massive corruption, institutional clashes, constitutional crisis, lack of accountability, poor law and order conditions, is ample evidence of poor governance in the country.

Since independence, Pakistan has been beset by political instability and unrest which has created a black hole in the country’s economic development and progress. Good governance cannot be established the presence of political disorder and power-hungry politicians.

After independence Pakistan took long seven years to draft a Constitution. It also created barriers in the path of governance. A charter provides a framework for policies. Decisions have been taken in order to view constitutional boundaries.

Military interventions are tumultuous for a country. It has an adverse impact on the decision-making process while tarnishing the image of Pakistan.

Feudal dispensation in the early years of establishment created a big gap in the development process. Wealthy and corrupted feudal class joined hands with politicians. Corrupt bureaucrats were also engaged in cleaning the wealth of people. All this reasoned to failure of governance in Pakistan. In the presence of institutional clashes, governance cannot establish its foothold. The recent clash between the executive and the judiciary has created disturbance around the whole country. Negative image has been portrayed around the whole globe. Good governance needs a stable political environment to flourish.

The government should formulate effective measures to solve this massive issue. Lack of accountability, improper use of funds, is increasing the rate of inflation. The country is under debt crises, primarily due to the absence of accountability. Corruption can easily be dealt with proper channel of accountability and thorough check and balance of the funds. To top it all, declining law and order situation of Pakistan has created a sense of fear and insecurity. Pakistan’s involvement in international conspiracies too has become the norm of the day.

The essentials for good governance to thrive are: public participation, national consistency, national integration, constitutional supremacy, institutional supremacy, strong foundation, independent judiciary, media independence and socioeconomic development. Both democracy and good governance are interconnected. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Democracy is for the people by the people and through the people.” Active participation of the masses is important for a democratic setup.

Public participation in political decision-making is pivotal to good governance. Public support and cooperation possesses great importance in good governance. It covers the way for good governance. Constitutional supremacy is very important in this regard. It provides a framework for policymakers. Socioeconomic development provides a strong foundation to governance. It is inclusive and covers the majority of the population, while offering massive employment opportunities and a proper education system to the masses. There is also rule of law, a powerful system of accountability and eradication of corruption, etc.

The difference between good and bad governance is no science to deduce. Good governance totally revolves around legitimacy, responsibility, rule of law and transparent administrative system, whereas bad governance indicates a propensity towards arbitrary policymaking as opposed to the rule of law. Bad governance breeds an unfair legal system and poisons relations between the ruler and the ruled.

As in the long run, good governance has a positive impact on one’s individual, social, political and economic life. Individuals feel secure and hopeful of the future for generations to come, when all his or her basic necessities of life are fulfilled. When a nation is satisfied and its people are content, countries experience development and a better quality of life.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2018.

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