Rise and Fall in the Fortunes of Local Government in Pakistan January 29, 2003 EVOLUTION OF...

Rise and Fall in the Fortunes of Local Government in Pakistan

January 29, 2003

EVOLUTION OF DEVOLUTION IN EVOLUTION OF DEVOLUTION IN PAKISTANPAKISTAN

PresentationPresentationatat

PILDAT Workshop for Members of the National AssemblyPILDAT Workshop for Members of the National Assembly

ByByDr. Ijaz Shafi GilaniDr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani

Chairman

Gallup PakistanGallup Pakistan


Pakistan’s ProblemPakistan’s Problem1947-20031947-2003

High to Modest Growth RateHigh to Modest Growth RateButBut

POOR PERFORMANCE ONPOOR PERFORMANCE ON

Good Indicators of Governance Human Development


WHY?WHY?GROWTH COULD NOT BE CHANNELLED INTOGROWTH COULD NOT BE CHANNELLED INTO

BuildingBuilding

Governance:Governance:

POLITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT POLITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTUREINFRASTRUCTURELAW AND ORDERLAW AND ORDER

Human DevelopmentHuman Development

LITERACY AND EDUCATIONLITERACY AND EDUCATIONHEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFAREHEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARERESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT


We must nevertheless note that there has been

Continuing Concern About

MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATIVEMANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATIVEREFORMSREFORMS

Since 1947Since 1947


During 1947 – 2002(56 years)

28Commissions and Committees were formed which prepared their reports on administrative reforms

Approximate Average of

11 in Every 2 2 years


The Recent Most included

INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS GROUPINSTITUTIONAL REFORMS GROUPheaded by Shah Mehmood Qureshiheaded by Shah Mehmood Qureshi

1993-97

GOOD GOVERNANCE GROUPGOOD GOVERNANCE GROUPheaded by Ahsan Iqbalheaded by Ahsan Iqbal

1997-99


A study (in 1997) which analyzed key points ofA study (in 1997) which analyzed key points of

Over Over 20 20 Commissions andCommissions andCommitteesCommittees

PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING LIST OFPROVIDED THE FOLLOWING LIST OFKEY ISSUES IN MANAGEMENT REFORMKEY ISSUES IN MANAGEMENT REFORM


Key Issues inKey Issues inAdministrative ReformAdministrative Reform

The need for

1.1. Fairness:Fairness:How to check Political Interference while ensuring Political Supremacy.How to check Political Interference while ensuring Political Supremacy.

The need for

2.2. Performance Based Organisation:Performance Based Organisation:How to ensure autonomy, to give Performance Targets and to hold How to ensure autonomy, to give Performance Targets and to hold everyone to Accountability.everyone to Accountability.

The need for

3.3. Compensation Review:Compensation Review:How to rationalize compensation and give Incentives to Public How to rationalize compensation and give Incentives to Public Servants, alongwith Righsizing. In other words to solve the issue of an Servants, alongwith Righsizing. In other words to solve the issue of an oversized but underpaid bureaucracy.oversized but underpaid bureaucracy.

Continued……..


Key Issues in Administrative Reform

The need for

4.4. Modernization and CorporatizationModernization and CorporatizationHow to upgrade Skills, Equipment, Environment and Procedures.How to upgrade Skills, Equipment, Environment and Procedures.

The need for

5.5. Training at all levelsTraining at all levelsHow introduce new Corporate Culture through Training at all stages.How introduce new Corporate Culture through Training at all stages.

The need for

6.6. Devolution, Decentralization and Local Devolution, Decentralization and Local GovernmentGovernment

The last point appeared to be the crucial starting point which could lead to the solution of other problems as well

……. Continued


The starting Point for Administrative ReformThe starting Point for Administrative Reform

??THERE IS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT DEVOLUTION DEVOLUTION CAN BE A LOGICAL

STARTING POINT


There is evidence through Data thatThere is evidence through Data that

CENTRALIZATION IS THE SOURCE FOR CENTRALIZATION IS THE SOURCE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE INEFFICIENCYADMINISTRATIVE INEFFICIENCY

Pending Cases in Courts analysis of data 1947-1990 showed more than 80% of cases could have stopped at the local Panchayat level.

Cases registered with the Police showed more than 80% dealt with Petty Crime which could fall under local jurisdiction.


HenceHence

BOTTLENECKBOTTLENECK

Number Number 11isis

CENTRALIZATION AND CONCENTRATION CENTRALIZATION AND CONCENTRATION OF POLITICAL AND MANAGEMENT OF POLITICAL AND MANAGEMENT

INFRASTRUCTUREINFRASTRUCTURE


PoliticalPoliticalSKEPTICISM ABOUT DEVOLUTIONSKEPTICISM ABOUT DEVOLUTION

starting fromIndian Political Act, 1936

toLocal Government Plan of NRB, 2000

Despite this realization there has been pervasiveDespite this realization there has been pervasive


British PeriodBritish PeriodSubstitute to Independence

Ayub Martial LawAyub Martial LawSubstitute to Adult Franchise

Zia Martial LawZia Martial LawSubstitute to Holding National Elections

Musharaf GovernmentMusharaf Government

?

Skepticism continued…….. for different reasons during different periods


The Ironic History of Local Government in Pakistan

STATUS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Ayub Martial Law High

Bhutto Period Low

Zia Martial Law High

Benazir-Nawaz period Generally low

Musharaf Martial Law High


RHETORICRHETORIC

APARTAPART

AUTHORITY HAS BEEN MOVINGAUTHORITY HAS BEEN MOVING

UPWARDSUPWARDS

RATHER THANRATHER THAN

DOWNWARDSDOWNWARDS

An Irony of the Evolution of Development


THE DATA SUGGESTS

Movement inTHE REVERSE DIRECTIONTHE REVERSE DIRECTIONfrom downwards to Upwardsfrom downwards to Upwards


The Role ofLocal Government in Local Public

Services has been declining 1980-1995

Province40%

Federal42%

Local18%

Province29%

Federal67%

Local4%

1980 1995


CONSOLIDATED PROGRAMME SPENDINGCONSOLIDATED PROGRAMME SPENDING19951995

Provincial29%

Federal67%

Local4%

Federal Spending 67%

Provincial Government 29%

Local Government 4%


LimitedLimitedLocal Control on Fiscal ManagementLocal Control on Fiscal Management

Provincial Transfers

26%

Defence26%

All other expenses

13%

Debt Payment35%

Federal Budgetary Allocation 1995-96


LOCAL GOVERNMENTLOCAL GOVERNMENT

COULD HAVE FREEDCOULD HAVE FREED

UPPER TIERS OFUPPER TIERS OF

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

TO CONCENTRATETO CONCENTRATE

ON THEIRON THEIR

TRUE MANDATETRUE MANDATE


But sadly, whileBut sadly, whileFederal GovernmentFederal Government

Lost some of its own authority to Lost some of its own authority to creditors, Big Powers, Interest Groups, creditors, Big Powers, Interest Groups,

Mafias and MismanagementMafias and Mismanagement

IT TRIED TO SQUEEZE IN AUTHORITY IT TRIED TO SQUEEZE IN AUTHORITY FROM LOWER TIERSFROM LOWER TIERS

The Same process was repeated at provincial levelThe Same process was repeated at provincial level


Let us stop here to once again Let us stop here to once again examine the root cause ofexamine the root cause of

POLITICAL SKEPTICISMPOLITICAL SKEPTICISM

ABOUT DEVOLUTIONABOUT DEVOLUTION


Apparently the use ofApparently the use of

LOCAL GOVERNMENTLOCAL GOVERNMENT

as a substitute foras a substitute for

TRANSFER OF POLITICAL POWERTRANSFER OF POLITICAL POWER

to Popular Representationto Popular Representation

is the key source of Political skepticism


Thus while on the one hand

THE NEED FORTHE NEED FORDEVOLUTION AND DEVOLUTION AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENTLOCAL GOVERNMENTIS CRITICALIS CRITICAL


There is at the same time

Well DeservedWell Deserved

POLITICAL SKEPTICISMPOLITICAL SKEPTICISM

About the Motives of About the Motives of DevolutionDevolution


The NewThe NewDispensation ofDispensation of

LOCAL GOVERNMENTLOCAL GOVERNMENTMust Address this issueMust Address this issue

to make Devolution a tool for Good Governance and Administrative Efficiency rather than using it to

substitute popular political authority


OtherwiseOtherwiseHISTORICAL TRENDSHISTORICAL TRENDS

SHOW A REVERSE RELATIONSHIP SHOW A REVERSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN “CIVILIANIZATION”

(into which we are currently entering)(into which we are currently entering)

and the status ofand the status ofLOCAL GOVERNMENT

which is the trend is repeated which is the trend is repeated should declineshould decline


That sets the stage forThat sets the stage fordiscussion during the next discussion during the next

two day!two day!

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

Rise and Fall in the Fortunes of Local Government in Pakistan January 29, 2003 EVOLUTION OF...

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Transcript of Rise and Fall in the Fortunes of Local Government in Pakistan January 29, 2003 EVOLUTION OF...