Local Expertise Global Context

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EVOLUTION OF DEVOLUTION IN PAKISTAN
By Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani Chairman Gallup Pakistan
Presentation at PILDAT Workshop for Members of
the National Assembly
January 29, 2003
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Pakistans Problem 1947-2003 High to Modest
Growth Rate But POOR PERFORMANCE ON Good
Indicators of Governance Human Development
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WHY? GROWTH COULD NOT BE CHANNELLED
INTO Building Governance POLITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE LAW AND
ORDER Human Development LITERACY AND
EDUCATION HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
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We must nevertheless note that there has
been Continuing Concern About MANAGEMENT/ADMINIS
TRATIVE REFORMS Since 1947
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During 1947 2002 (56 years)
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Commissions and Committees were formed which
prepared their reports on administrative reforms
Approximate Average of 1 in Every 2 years
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The Recent Most included
INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS GROUP headed by Shah
Mehmood Qureshi 1993-97 GOOD GOVERNANCE
GROUP headed by Ahsan Iqbal 1997-99
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A study (in 1997) which analyzed key points
of Over 20 Commissions and Committees PROVIDED
THE FOLLOWING LIST OF KEY ISSUES IN MANAGEMENT
REFORM
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Key Issues in Administrative Reform The need
for 1. Fairness How to check Political
Interference while ensuring Political
Supremacy. The need for 2. Performance Based
Organisation How to ensure autonomy, to give
Performance Targets and to hold everyone to
Accountability. The need for 3. Compensation
Review How to rationalize compensation and give
Incentives to Public Servants, alongwith
Righsizing. In other words to solve the issue of
an oversized but underpaid bureaucracy.
Continued..
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. Continued
Key Issues in Administrative Reform The need
for 4. Modernization and Corporatization How to
upgrade Skills, Equipment, Environment and
Procedures. The need for 5. Training at all
levels How introduce new Corporate Culture
through Training at all stages. The need
for 6. Devolution, Decentralization and Local
Government The last point appeared to be the
crucial starting point which could lead to the
solution of other problems as well
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The starting Point for Administrative
Reform ? THERE IS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT
DEVOLUTION CAN BE A LOGICAL STARTING POINT
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There is evidence through Data that CENTRALIZATIO
N IS THE SOURCE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE
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.
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Hence BOTTLENECK Number 1 is CENTRALIZATION AND
CONCENTRATION OF POLITICAL AND MANAGEMENT
INFRASTRUCTURE
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Despite this realization there has been pervasive
Political SKEPTICISM ABOUT DEVOLUTION starting
from Indian Political Act, 1936 to Local
Government Plan of NRB, 2000
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for different reasons during different periods
Skepticism continued..
British Period Substitute to Independence Ayub
Martial Law Substitute to Adult Franchise Zia
Martial Law Substitute to Holding National
Elections Musharaf Government ?
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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
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RHETORIC APART AUTHORITY HAS BEEN
MOVING UPWARDS RATHER THAN DOWNWARDS An Irony of
the Evolution of Development
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THE DATA SUGGESTS Movement in THE REVERSE
DIRECTION from downwards to Upwards
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The Role of Local Government in Local Public
Services has been declining 1980-1995
1980
1995
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CONSOLIDATED PROGRAMME SPENDING 1995
Federal Spending 67 Provincial
Government 29 Local Government 4
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Limited Local Control on Fiscal Management
Federal Budgetary Allocation 1995-96
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE FREED UPPER TIERS
OF GOVERNMENT TO CONCENTRATE ON THEIR TRUE MANDATE
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But sadly, while Federal Government Lost some
of its own authority to creditors, Big Powers,
Interest Groups, Mafias and Mismanagement IT
TRIED TO SQUEEZE IN AUTHORITY FROM LOWER
TIERS The Same process was repeated at
provincial level
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Let us stop here to once again examine the root
cause of POLITICAL SKEPTICISM ABOUT DEVOLUTION
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Apparently the use of LOCAL GOVERNMENT as a
substitute for TRANSFER OF POLITICAL POWER to
Popular Representation is the key source of
Political skepticism
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Thus while on the one hand THE NEED
FOR DEVOLUTION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS CRITICAL
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There is at the same time Well
Deserved POLITICAL SKEPTICISM About the Motives
of Devolution
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The New Dispensation of LOCAL GOVERNMENT Must
Address this issue to make Devolution a tool for
Good Governance and Administrative Efficiency
rather than using it to substitute popular
political authority
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Otherwise HISTORICAL TRENDS SHOW A REVERSE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CIVILIANIZATION (into
which we are currently entering) and the status
of LOCAL GOVERNMENT which is the trend is
repeated should decline
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That sets the stage for discussion during the
next two day! THANK YOU!