Politics, business and bureaucracy

Politics, business and bureaucracy is a fatal triangle. Big business gives funds to the politicians to fight elections. Businessmen approach bureaucracy to condone their misdeeds. Bureaucracy ill-advises and misadvises the politicians knowingly. These three indispensable strains of society shake hands and corruption germinates. Corruption is accepted as the sole mode of running an administration. The unholy alliance of the trinity rules. In this trinity big business houses call the shots. Politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen have institutionalized corruption. Harsh realities eating into the very vitals of our society compelled government to ponder over and devise methods to make governance and administration alert and effective. Pakistan is an over-regulated but under-governed nation. We are not facing the issue of minimal governance but of effective governance. Today credibility of all our major institutions is in doubt. We must do something to check this trend. All the public dealing departments must draw up clearly the programs spelling out their types, quality and time factor to realize them. Failing departments must be brought to book if they fall to deliver. There should be transparency to minimize to the maximum swindling of public money. Each department must be accountable. A political will has to be mobilized to punish dishonest persons both in the government and in public institutions. Quick and time bound redressal of grievances should be adhered to and officials responsible for any delay must be penalized. At least one member from Residents’ Welfare Association, area wise, should be associated with all public works to keep a watch on the working of the bureaucracy. In this age of liberalization and deregulation bureaucratic controls must be done away with.

A code of conduct for politicians to ensure the purity of their public image must be adopted. A wrong-doer must not be spared. Fear of punishment must be hammered into the minds of each and everybody. We still come across such persons as openly declare—British rule was better for its good governance and effective administration. It does not mean we should invite foreigners to teach us the technique of good governance and effective administration. We have able and capable people. When Pakistanis can govern and administer foreign institutions well why can’t they repeat this performance in the country itself? We should not console ourselves declaring that malpractices are worldwide phenomena and accept them as inevitable. Through our relentless efforts we can establish high standards of governance and administration. That done Pakistan will be a superpower. In Pakistan departments do only cosmetic service and nothing substantial is done. Politics business and bureaucracy is a fatal triangle.