Governance​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Crisis: Who Will Light the Candle?

Governance Is the Main Complaint

Governance​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Crisis: Who Will Light the Candle? The problem with the government continues to be one the citizens are facing. In fact, their confidence in institutions and public services is being shaken as a consequence. The latest conversation on governance and bureaucracy has revealed a general idea that Pakistan needs a government which is honest, efficient and responsive to its people.

A number of officials say that meddling by politicians weakens the civil service because the frequent changing of officers deprives them of the tenure guarantee needed to perform their duties freely. Meanwhile, audit bodies are continuously uncovering inefficiencies, irregularities and misappropriation of public funds. However, if authorities themselves do not follow up on the recommendations of the audit, those audits would be of very little use. Governance​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Crisis: Who Will Light the Candle?

Also, more recently governance is being identified with virtual meetings, viral videos, slideshows, strategic plans and trendy buzzwords. But people are hardly able to obtain basic government services. Hence, the chasm between what an administration publicly promises and how it operates in reality remains a major reason for the general populace's indignation.

Democracy Is The Ultimate Solution

Actually, the Constitution of Pakistan outlines the main features of good governance. On the one hand, Article 4 guarantees citizens' rights that they must be treated according to law, and on the other hand, Articles 9, 14 and 25 safeguard life, dignity, and equality. Governance​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Crisis: Who Will Light the Candle?

Further, Article 37 demands that social justice be delivered, that justice is made quick and accessible, and administration should be decentralised, i.e., it should not only be in response to the demands of the people but also serve their interests. Similarly, Article 38 obliges the State to raise life standards, create livelihood opportunities, and supply essentials of life to those who are able not to secure them by themselves.

If, in the end, citizens’ life standards depend entirely on how well various State sectors discharge their functions, mere constitutional guarantees will not be any good unless they are properly implemented and delivered. Therefore, we all must be on standby to see whether such promises are translated at least into some visible forms.

One of the core values of governance will remain its accountability to the public. If you get it right at the top of the hierarchy, it filters down. Governance​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Crisis: Who Will Light the Candle?

The Constitution is silent as it is a written document. However, it is the implementation of the constitutional provisions which will eventually matter most for the life quality of the public.

Majr Features

• Rule of Law: The Government's powers are limited, and decisions must be law-based, with the people at the center of decision-making processes.
• Accountability: Every person holding public office must be answerable to the people or, at the very least, must be required to explain the reason behind every public action.
• Security of Tenure: To ensure impartiality and continuity civil servants should not be at the mercy of political forces.
• Morality: The selection of people for government work should be fair and merit-based.
• Independent Audits: Auditing bodies should be free from government control so that they can carry out their functions in an independent manner.
• Public Services: The government should provide good quality services such as healthcare, education, justice and security, to its citizens.
• The people, the citizens in other words, shall have the right to be involved in the decision-making process through various forms of participation. This means not only expressing opinions but also actively participating in the implementation of policies.

At the present stage, most of the political parties cannot even be trusted to carry out promises they have given. This is because it is the system – the way politics itself works – which makes them act the way they do. Governance​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Crisis: Who Will Light the Candle?

Therefore, the people have to light the candle

The Candle Should Be Lit by the People

Thomas Paine maintained that a people has the authority to change its situation politically. That idea is still valid in today Pakistan. The state, as a matter of fact, is a common fund, a trust of the public, but not the private property of those who are the leaders at a time.

Therefore, waiting for someone to come and fix government at this point of time will not be a constructive solution for the citizens. On one hand, the legislative branch should improve its role in scrutinizing the government, the judiciary will have to ensure that constitutional values are properly enforced, the civil servants will take their work seriously, the media and civil groups will have to point out any shortcomings of institutions.

In any case, citizens should forget their feelings of annoyance and become a real force pushing the democratic system forwards. The moment the public starts asking for accountability, the pressure that comes to bear on the institutions to make things better becomes enormous.

As a matter of fact, Pakistan is still going through a serious governance issue but giving in to hopelessness is not a proper way to tackle the problem. Hope should be the fuel driving us forward. According to a famous lyric by a renowned Pakistani ghazal singer, if all we do is sit around and complain about the darkness, it is not going to light up the world, but if we go and light a flame by each of us, that is going to bring about the light. When people accept that they too play a part in this matter, public officials, civil servants, institutions and ordinary citizens working together can make Pakistan a place where citizens truly have a say in how their country is governed.

There’s no need for people, organizations or governments to feel guilty for the country’s current condition – the real challenge is getting together and working out a solution that is best for all of us. ​‍​‌‍​‍‌