Outline

1. Introduction and Contention
Pakistan is facing a number of crises presently. Each crisis has its own wide and far reaching negative impacts on the progress of the country. Of all the crises, the crisis of governance is the leading one which has adversely affected the political, social, and economic development of the country.
a. Good governance defined by World Bank
(The manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources)
b. Good governance defined by Commission on Global Governance
(The sum of the many ways in which individuals and institutions, public and private, manage their common affairs)
c. According to Wikipedia
(How public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources)

2. Characteristics of Good Governance
(According to the United Nations, there are eight important characteristics that ensure good governance in a country)
a. Consensus-orientation
b. Participation
c. Rule of law
d. Effectiveness and efficiency
e. Accountability
f. Transparency
g. Responsiveness
h. Equitability and inclusiveness

(According to Nayef A-Rodhan, a philosopher, neuroscientist, geostrategist, and author, good governance can be ensured with eight factor criteria)
a. Participation, equity and inclusiveness
b. Rule of law
c. Separation of powers
d. Free, independent, and responsible media
e. Government legitimacy
f. Accountability
g. Transparency
h. Prevented distorting effect of money in politics

3. Status of governance in Pakistan
a. Pakistan still ranks 139 from 127 in 177 list of countries with the highest corruption level (TI, 2013 report)
b. Abuse of power and misuse authority continues (e.g. unjustified termination order of NADRA chairman by govt. later reinstated by High Court Islamabad, handing over of responsibility to head to Youth Development Program to a non-parliamentarian, PM’s daughter, etc.)
c. Government’s indifference on handling the major issue of terrorism
d. Majority of population is deprived of basics i.e. healthcare, education, clean water, affordable food, etc. (above 60% population lives below the poverty line, World Bank report 2013)
e. Week foreign policy which is increasing Pakistan’s isolation globally and in the region – specially in the context of India, Afghanistan, Iran and the US
f. Dead-slow and inconclusive process of legislation on major domestic issues i.e. corruption, religious and ethnic extremism, women persecution, tax-evasion etc.

4. Causes of bad governance in Pakistan
a. Political Causes
i. Lack of Political Will
ii. Incapable and Inefficient Leadership
iii. Political Patronage
iv. Interprovincial conflicts
v. Nepotism and Dynastic Politics

b. Socio-economic Causes
i. Dominant feudal, bureaucratic, and capitalist culture
ii. Illiteracy, and Ignorant Majority of Public
iii. Declining economy – with low GDP and GNP, trade deficit, low FDI etc.
iv. Rampant Corruption

c. Administrative Causes
i. Institutional Weaknesses
ii. Absence of Merit
iii. Lack of Accountability, Policymaking, and Policy implementation

5. Dealing with Bad Governance
a. Education Emergency
b. Media Trial – of Corrupt political and bureaucratic figures
c. Strict Legislation against abuse of power
d. Timely resolution of issue of terrorism
e. Civil society and media’s watch
f. Transfer of power to the local level
g. Converting the youth bulge into skilled labor force
h. An effective foreign policy – exploiting the geostrategic position of the country

6. Conclusion



Please do point out gray areas and suggest for the improvemment


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