Governing the Ungovernable: Institutional Reforms for Democratic Governance

Description

Pakistan, since its independence in 1947, had to face tumultuous years for the first four decades. Despite the many challenges, both internal and external, the country was able to register a 6 per cent average annual growth rate during the first forty years of its existence. The country was ahead of India and Bangladesh in all economic and social indicators. Since 1990, the country has fallen behind its neighbouring countries and has had a decline in the growth rate. This book attempts to examine the reasons behind this slowdown, the volatile and inequitable growth of the last twenty-five years, and through a process of theoretical and empirical evidence argues that the most powerful explanatory hypothesis lies in the decay of institutions of governance. It also suggests a selective and incremental approach of restructuring some key public institutions that pertain to accountability, transparency, security, economic growth, and equity. Introduction 1 2. Historical Background 35 3. The Economy 59 4. The Polity 96 5. The Society 124 6. Federal and Provincial Governments 157 7. Local Government 182 8. The Civil Services 210 9. The Judiciary 236 10. The Legislature 264 11. The Military 287 12. The Religious Edifice 322 13. The Private Sector 358 14. Administration of Justice 387 15. The Role of External Actors 410 16. Restructuring Key Institutions 443 17. Lessons from the Experience of Other Countries 467 18. Conclusions 488