Failing to plan

"Failing to plan is planning to fail." This adage resonates deeply with Pakistan's predicament today. Much of what ails the country — from climate disasters to dysfunctional public services — can be traced back to either poor planning or poor implementation. Time and again, opportunities to avert crises have been lost because we did not think ahead.

Take the case of floods. Each year, we know monsoon rains will arrive, bringing the risk of devastation. Yet, despite this foreknowledge, we fail to mitigate their impact. The havoc unleashed by recent floods was neither unprecedented nor unforeseeable. Why, then, do we still allow deforestation that triggers landslides? Why do just two days of rain cripple a mega-city? Why do we permit illegal construction on natural waterways, neglect desilting of canals, do not construct water reservoirs, unclog rainwater drains, or abandon dredging of rivers? These are failures of will and strategic planning, not of knowledge.

Poor planning is nowhere more evident than in our cities. Unchecked, unregulated urbanisation has converted fertile agricultural land into concrete jungles. Zoning regulations are ignored, public spaces are encroached with impunity, and public utility infrastructure lags far behind population growth. The relentless growth of our population, unacknowledged in planning documents for decades, has compounded every problem. The shortage of schools, hospitals, lack of clean drinking water proper sewage disposal, weak public transport system are not accidental, but the predictable outcome of failing to manage our population growth rate at sustainable levels .

The wisdom of planning is not alien to our traditions. The Holy Quran itself emphasises foresight in Surah Yusuf, where the allegory of seven years of abundance followed by seven years of drought highlights the need to prepare in good times for lean years. This lesson is both spiritual and practical: resilience comes from anticipation and preparation.

Pakistan cannot afford to muddle through crises any longer. We must revive a culture of planning - but with a difference. Planning should not remain the preserve of federal or provincial bureaucracies alone. It must be democratised, rooted in local governments and informed by the voices of communities themselves. After the 18th constitutional amendment while provincial authority was devolved, the planning process did not trickle down to the grassroots. Instead of empowering local governments, autonomy stopped at the provincial level. Decision-making and resource allocation remained centralised, bypassing districts, tehsils and union councils. Genuine empowerment — where communities take charge of planning for their pressing needs — never materialised. As Nobel laureate Amartya Sen observed, democracies avert famines because empowered citizens demand accountability.

Local engagement brings accountability, ensures resources meet real needs, and creates ownership of solutions. When people are part of decision-making, they are also more willing to contribute their resources towards community betterment. Decentralised planning can only succeed if local governments are genuinely empowered. This requires the consistent and full implementation of Article 140A of the Constitutional across all provinces, rather than the half-hearted and selective application we have seen so far. Fiscal independence must be ensured so that local governments can prioritise resources according to community needs. Their operational capacity has to be strengthened, with reduced bureaucratic interference. Above all, the voices of communities must be heard through an uninterrupted and credible local electoral process.

The choice before us is stark. If we continue to drift without foresight, Pakistan will remain trapped in a cycle of recurring crises. But if we embrace planning — comprehensive, inclusive and forward-looking — we can turn challenges into opportunities. The future need not be a repetition of our failures; it can be a testament to our capacity to plan, prepare and prosper.