Governance issue: Is PTI government really responsible?

Zeeshan Naseer
Governance is the manner in which power is exercised in management of a country’s economic and social resources for its development (World Bank). With this definition in mind, we can say that a country utilizing its socio-economic resources efficiently is a better governed country. Whereas countries that are poor in utilizing them can be said to have governance issues.
Pakistan is a country bestowed with all the natural resources along with having the second largest population of youth in the world. If properly managed, Pakistan could very easily go on to becoming an Asian Tiger and a regional giant but unfortunately, this has not been the case. So, in so that a country progressing rapidly during 1960s reached at a stage in 2010 where it came close to becoming a banana republic and a failed state.
A country like Pakistan which was compared with California State and was a role model for emerging Asian giants like South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia is now compared with some of the poorest Asian and African nations like Afghanistan and Somalia in terms of its Low Human Development, Economic stagnation and Political Chaos.
We as Pakistanis should ask ourselves a serious question that where have we gone wrong in all these years? What is that one critical reason that we are where we are today?
The answer to this one question revolves around a single word, GOVERNANCE. Pakistan is facing governance crisis all these years regardless of whether the government was Democratic or Dictatorship. So, the question arises as to whether the current governance crisis is only because of PTIs government or is it a cumulating effect of the mismanagement of previous 50 years?
To say that PTI government is not responsible at all is naive but to put all the blame fairly and squarely on them would be an injustice. Currently Pakistan is passing through a very difficult time. We are facing both Internal and External challenges.
Internally Pakistan is recovering from an Economic crisis especially when we face the biggest current account deficit in our history. To improve our situation, we had to look for support from friendly Arab countries and China to stand our economy. Current government had to go for IMF bailout package for the economic recovery. Things started to improve a little bit but then the world was struck by Coronavirus pandemic which had a devastating effect on our local as well as global economy thereby causing difficulties in economic recovery.
Another crisis that the government is currently facing pertains to legislation and administration. Since PTI government does not enjoy a clear majority in the Senate therefore if it wants to pass a bill it can do so only in the National Assembly but will have to face difficulties in the Senate due their fewer seats. However, they might be able to overcome this issue after the forthcoming Senate elections.
Second reason is that due to polarization and feeling of animosity against the opposition parties’ smooth sessions of parliament are rarely being conducted. Due to this feeling of mistrust the government tries to bypass the parliament and resort to ordinances promulgated by the President for implementing its policies like in the case of CPEC authority and rape cases law etc. This trend is not a welcoming sign for the future of our democracy and governance suffers as a result of this.
Similarly, administration which is considered to be an essential pillar for smooth functioning of the state and progress of a country faces multiple problems. Pakistan which used to have the most efficient Bureaucracy in South-Asia is now facing serious administrative issues especially at the local and district levels. ACs and DCs who are the representatives of the government at these levels are tasked with dispensing government policies along with providing relief to ordinary citizens have a huge responsibility on their shoulders.
PAS (Pakistan Administrative Service) which is considered to be the backbone and iron cage of bureaucracy faces a stupendous task at hand. Though under paid and with inadequate resources the officers are performing their duties with utmost devotion but political pressure, undue threats, frequent transfers, dangerous working conditions, corrupt practices and bribery has negatively tainted their reputation and performance.
External challenges can also undermine the governance of any country especially in Pakistan’s case which has a multi-ethnic composition, poor local administration, hostile nation on its eastern side and a country in chaos on the western side with a long border not properly fenced yet. All these factors have contributed in governance issues at one level or the other. For instance terrorist groups frequently attack Pakistani forces and target ordinary citizens.
Work in close coordination with friendly countries like China, Turkey, Malaysia, Russia, Iran and Qatar. Encourage foreign investment opportunities, regional trade and bilateralism, learn from governance systems of these countries and incorporate their strategies while taking into account our local dynamics.
Finally, year 2021 could be a decisive year for PTI government. If they manage to improve the governance situation of the country then they could go on to secure a clear victory in 2023 elections and if they fail to do so then things would become very difficult for PTI.