General
Perviaz Musharr.if who came to power on 12 October 1999 under extra-ordinary circumstances,
promised the nation a system of true democracy. Very much like us three 12 predecessors his advent too was welcomed
and cheered. He got his authority legitimized b holding a nation-wide
referendum. He displayed genuine passion to remodel the society on democratic
pattern. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was created to deal with the
corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, the legacy of previous
undemocratic governments to recover the national wealth looted by them during
their hay days.
The task was
well done to some extent and for some time. Many a big fish surrendered part of
their loot and was set free. The real monster sharks managed to escape the net,
went into self-imposed exile to wait for opportune moment to stage come back
and hit the national scene with new vigour and improved grabbing techniques.
With the passage of time the vigil of the NAB relaxed to let the compromises
set in.The task of paving way for the arrival of true democracy was entrusted
to the newly launched National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) which ostensibly did
an excellent job by hammering out a Local Government System in 2001 to transmit
economic and political power to the grass root levels of the society.
This meant to empower the
individual by setting him free from the twin stranglehold of the bureaucracy
and the politician. The document that laid down a system of devolution of power
claimed “The system was reconstruction of the structures of the government that
was wholesome, far reaching and fundamental. It encompassed the politician. the
bureaucracy and the police in a single integrated package. It was wide ranging
in scope, depth, detail and was historic in the sense that never before any
effort had been made to involve genuine political, administrative and financial
empowerment of the people at grass roots to strengthen the foundations of
democracy. Nor anything worthwhile had ever been done to dismantle the steel
frame’ of bureaucracy-centered system of colonial rule. “The proposed system
intended to put an end to what was scornfully termed as Naukarshahi the much
hated legacy of the British Raj. How far the Devolution Plan has succeeded in
meeting its targets, how much of it has been absorbed and assimilated by the
prevalent administrative order, how far it has proved relevant to the ground
realities, is a matter that has become a subject of debate among all concerned.