ISLAMABAD: According to top academics and seasoned practitioners, Pakistan is experiencing a crisis of governance at all levels, a lack of national consensus on important problems, and non-adherence to national objectives in policy formation and implementation.
The specialists were addressing the National Academic Council (NAC) of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, during its annual meeting. The annual conference aims to provide IPS’ research initiatives with intellectual input from a spectrum of seasoned academics and practitioners.
Presided over by IPS’ Chairman Khalid Rahman, the meeting was addressed by Dr. Syed Junaid Zaidi, former rector COMSATS; Ambassador (r) Shamshad A. Khan, former secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Syed Abu Ahmad Akif, former federal cabinet secretary; Dr. Syed Tahir Hijazi, former vice-chancellor, Muslim Youth University; Dr. Waqar Masood Khan, former federal secretary, finance; Dr. Anwar-ul-Hasan Gilani, former vice chancellor, University of Haripur; Mirza Hamid Hasan, former federal secretary, water and power; Ambassador (r) Syed Abrar Hussain, vice chairman IPS; Dr. Abdul Rauf Rafiqui, director, Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai Shaheed Chair, University of Balochistan; Dr. Adnan Sarwar Khan, former dean of social sciences, University of Peshawar; Dr. Naveed Butt, senior physician at Federal Government Services Hospital; and Dr. Noreen Sahar, associate professor and chairperson, Department of Anthropology, IIUI.
The speakers brought up important national issues whose ramifications need to be explored on an intellectual and policy level because they have hampered Pakistan’s ability to prosper.
Almost all of the presenters agreed that the serious lack of good governance was the root of these problems. In addition to lacking the capacity to seize opportunities and control threats like floods or politico-economic crises, the government also lacks the democratic ideal in its institutional choices and policy considerations. Hence the sluggish national development.
Shamshad Khan noted that faulty decisions and foreign dependence are other factors in poor governance that ultimately jeopardise national sovereignty. In addition to these, another crucial element, namely the presence of corrupt individuals at the highest levels of governance, is sapping Pakistan’s prospects for progress.
Khalid Rahman noted that there is a great deal of policy misunderstanding in the society and the country. He emphasised that there are numerous reasons why national attempts at development and policy discussions are not moving in the same direction. One such element is clever lobbying that questions the entire structure of policy and policymaking. Additionally, foreign sponsorships also contribute significantly to the purchase of domestic talent for covert purposes. Pakistan can address this issue through win-win partnerships.
According to Syed Akif, the crisis in Pakistan has overlapped due to a lack of devotion to national objectives in the development and implementation of policy. This crisis is also exacerbated by corruption and nepotism.
