Governance has been a core, critical and complex issue of Pakistan during its six decades of existence.The country is today faced with the menacing issues of poverty, hunger, unemployment, inflation, security , electricity, water, gas, transport, housing, education, health, justice, corruption, maladministration, and political instability. The tasks ahead are gigantic and demand a high level of competence, courage and commitment from the political leadership, civilian bureaucracy, and civil society organizations to lead the country of 180 million souls to stability, progress and prosperity.
Briefly, the governance issues emanate and entrench from the absence of Rule of Merit, Rule of Law and Rule of Accountability.
1. Enforce Rule of Merit in the hiring, training, posting, reward and punishment and the career advancement of public servants in all organs of the state.
2. Enforce Rule of Law in all cases of civilian and criminal nature equally for all citizens.
3. Enforce Rule of Accountability equally for all citizens in a free, fair and transparent manner.
Under the country's Constitution, adopted by all political parties and provinces in 1973, the role of each organ of the state i.e. the executive, the parliament and the judiciary is clearly defined. What is needed is the adherence of the political government to the tenets of the Constitution. With Unity, Faith and Discipline in our hearts and minds, we can live together, work together and progress together. Sectarian, linguistic, and ethnic considerations cannot overtake the nation's determination to forge unity and live in peace.
The ongoing threat of militancy in the tribal belt is borne out of the long absence of political government, inequitable distribution of wealth and resources, lack of economic, legal and social justice, disregard of tribal traditions, customs and values and avoidance of fair and firm settlement of issues agitating the minds of the tribes. The tribes are as good Muslims, patriotic and Pakistani as anybody else but like country's other regions, the tribal region also needs a different treatment. Once the government of Pakistan is fully conscious of the underlying stresses and strains and it determines with courage, confidence and competence to resolve the thorny issues, peace and tranquility are bound to return faster than imagined.
The 'War on Terror' has given birth to extremism, militancy and terrorism primarily because of two factors. Firstly, the people of Pakistan are not convinced that it is OUR war. Secondly, the people of Pakistan are not convinced that the modalities adopted for dealing with the Taliban, Al Qaeda and others assumed to be associated with terrorism are the right ones.
Siding with the US and the NATO has not been a good experience for Pakistan and its people in the past. Pakistan fought the America's proxy war in Afghanistan in the 70's and the 80's with a tremendous cost to them in terms of over 5 million Afghan refugees on Pakistan's soil, flow of narcotics from the poppy-growing areas of Afghanistan and the influx of weapons into the length and breadth of Pakistan. Pakistan hardly gained anything in economic terms. Nor did the US and its allies really appreciated the sacrifices made by Pakistan and its people.
The growing extremism, militancy and terrorism as a result of the War on Terror has been taking a very heavy toll on the socio-economic and political well being of the people of Pakistan and there is no relief in sight.
The US and its allies have consistently supported the corrupt. incompetent and unpopular political leadership in Pakistan in their vested interests without realizing the repercussions of bad governance on the people of Pakistan. As a result, there is growing anti-America sentiments amongst all the strata of Pakistani society. And the US doesn't seem to plan and develop strategies, plans and programs to improve upon its image amongst the Pakistanis on short-term as well as long-term bases.
