PML-N govt completes four years but ignores 2013 election manifesto

ISLAMABAD: The Nawaz Sharif government has completed four years of its term but yet the PML-N 2013 election manifesto greatly remained unimplemented.

The regime showed no interest in materializing promised reforms to ensure speedy and inexpensive justice, civil service overhauling, police depoliticization, introduction of neutral and independent accountability system, tax restructuring, education emergency, health care scheme etc.

Interestingly for the implementation of the promises made in the election manifesto, it was envisaged in the manifesto itself, “For this purpose PML(N) has already set up Sub–Committees on different subsectors or issues consisting of all the stakeholders to work out detailed implementation plans with cost estimates and a realistic time frame. These arrangements will ensure that by the time PML(N) receives the mandate of the people for the next five years, these plans are ready for implementation. In line with the practice followed in its previous two terms, PML(N) will ensure submission of periodic reports to the cabinet on the implementation of the Manifesto by a special cabinet sub-committee.”

However, in reality during the last four years there has not been any such periodic review of the implementation of the PML-N manifesto. Some critically important areas which were focused in the PML-N manifesto but did not get any attention from the N-government include:

Civil Service Reforms: The  PML-N manifesto committed that reforms of the civil services will be undertaken at all levels to ensure better governance and improved delivery of services to the public. The ruling party had promised to introduce a restructuring plan, the basic thrust of which will be both a major Public Sector Government Transformation Program as well as a major overhaul of the federal civil service. The manifesto said, “Main purpose and objective of Civil Service Reforms will be: Ensuring open government through transparency, accountability, and participation to fight corruption and improve citizen engagement.”

The manifesto said, “Transforming public service into a highly capable service provider by promoting merit based system at all levels through improvements in recruitment, postings, promotion, training and incentives.”

However, during the last four years the prime minister and his cabinet had no time to look into matters relating to civil bureaucracy. According to sources the Reform and Planning Commission had prepared a set of 24 reforms for civil service but despite repeated requests the cabinet did not consider the proposed package even once.

State-owned Enterprises: The PML-N Manifesto said in 2013, “Today, several key state-owned institutions like PIA, Railways, Pakistan Steel Mills, WAPDA and other institutions are a major drag on Pakistan’s economy. These loss-making entities are presently bleeding to the tune of Rs. 400 billion per annum. Therefore, reforming these state owned institutions through a combination of privatization and restructuring is fundamental……. PML(N) will initiate following actions to turn around the loss making state enterprises: Appoint independent and professional boards who in turn will appoint competent CEOs of state enterprises; Professional competence and merit will be the only criteria for appointment of boards and CEOs; The immediate task of the boards and CEOs will be to manage these corporations effectively and to plug the losses; Assign quantifiable targets and monitor on regular basis; Performance evaluation will be carried out on regular basis to ensure accountability; Stop every kind of political interference in the affairs of these enterprises; Undertake deep-seated and urgent reforms in the relevant subsectors; Identify enterprises which need to be privatized and assign targets to the privatization commission to ensure completion of the privatization process within the assigned time frame; Operational standards will be prescribed and complete autonomy will be given to achieve them; PIA shall be transformed into a profitable and reputed airline of the Region; There will be special focus on Pakistan Railways to improve its operations.”

As against what was promised in the Manifesto, the PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills, Wapda etc are in bad shape than before and not near to what was promised by the PML-N in 2013. Police Reforms: The PML-N in its manifesto had promised, “Police laws will be reviewed to transform the police force into a depoliticized, efficient and effective law-enforcement body, which is highly motivated, trained and provided with modern/computerized investigative technology, including updated forensic facilities. This will include improvements in the “thana culture” to remove difficulties faced by the complainants to register FIRs and to safeguard against harassment of innocent persons. All appointments in the Police Department in BPS-11 and above will be made on merit through the respective Provincial Public Service Commissions on the basis of competitive examinations. A modern, well-equipped, and citizen friendly Police holds key to fighting crime, maintaining peace and law and order in the society. Police shall be reformed to become a community-based Smart Police equipped with modern tools and technologies. Further, All police stations shall be converted into Model Police Stations in phase wise approach.”

Today in 2017, the police are still politicized and the promised reforms remain a far cry.  Speedy and Inexpensive Justice: The manifesto committed, “Conscious of the mental and physical suffering of litigants whose cases linger over generations without final decision and firmly believing in the principle that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’, the PML(N) government will take all necessary measures to ensure the dispensation of speedy and inexpensive justice for the common man. This is not mere rhetoric. The PML(N) will initiate action in this regard immediately on coming into power so that benefits thereof accrue to the people as soon as possible. The strategy will be two-pronged: (1) reduce the huge pending backlog of cases at every level; and (2) provide justice at the proverbial ‘doorstep’. To accelerate disposal of cases, procedures will be greatly simplified. In particular, legislation will be enacted to provide that: (a) in civil cases, initial trial to be completed within one year, and appellate proceedings within the following year; and (b) in criminal cases, trial to be completed within six months and appeal be decided within one year. Such legislation will include provisions for day-to-day hearings and award of heavy costs for unjustified delays and frivolous litigation. The number of judges will be substantially increased. All vacancies will be filled on priority basis. New posts will be created keeping in view pendency of cases at different levels of the judicial hierarchy, the target being to enable an average case to pass through each level within one year. Judges (from the lawyer community) could be appointed on contract basis for a suitable period to help reduce backlog. Necessary support staff and infrastructure, including state-of-the-art equipment 74 and technology, will be provided. In consultation with the judiciary, arrangements will also be made for extended court hours/evening courts, where feasible. All judges and court officials will be required to undergo regular training courses to acquaint them with up to date laws and modern case flow management techniques, etc. In order to dramatically shorten time spent in litigation, the PML(N) government will request the Pakistan Law Commission to examine the feasibility of reducing the existing 4-tiers system (trial court, appellate court, High Court, Supreme Court) to 3-tiers (trial court, appellate/High Court, Supreme Court), as in the case of special laws, e.g. banking, labour, and environmental laws. Under this radical reform, civil courts would be abolished and trial would start at the Additional District Judge level. This will not only reduce litigation time by several years, but will also improve the quality of judgments at the trial level. To reduce the volume of litigation, a major campaign to promote Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) will be launched. This will include development of a culture of dispute settlement through negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration or other ADR mode; creation of public awareness as to the laws and procedures relating to ADR; training and capacity-building of judicial officers and staff, and lawyers; introduction of the subject of ADR in law colleges; and establishment of ADR centers and panels to facilitate its adoption….”

In this respect, the PML-N government did work for some legislation but on the ground situation remained unchanged because of government’s lack of keenness.

Corruption and Accountability: The manifesto said, “The PML(N) Government will adopt a zero tolerance policy for corruption. It will take every measure to ruthlessly stamp out corruption wherever found. An autonomous National Accountability Commission which is administratively, functionally and financially independent, with comprehensive powers to carry out across-the-board accountability of all holders of public offices in a fair, impartial and transparent manner will be established. All holders of public offices will be required to file statements of assets and liabilities prior to assuming office and every year thereafter, which will be made available to the public and the concerned authorities for scrutiny…..”

Practically, the government neither set up autonomous National Accountability Commission nor carried out across the board accountability of all holders of public office.

Creation of Job Opportunities: The manifesto also pledged that all infrastructure projects will entail compulsory job creation. “We will create incentive programmes for the private sector to create maximum employment. We will start a especially designed employment program that will generate jobs at community and neighborhood level through special development initiatives.”

Housing for Low Income Families: The unfulfilled PML-N manifesto promises include the commitment, “Special financial institutions and arrangements will also be made to expand, in cooperation with the provincial governments, housing 15 facilities especially for lower middle income groups. At least 1,000 clusters of 500 houses each for lower income families will be developed on a public private partnership mode, and the industry will be encouraged to expand investment and to provide employment opportunities in the adjoining areas. 

Tax Reforms: The manifesto said, “We are aware that the fundamental reforms that are required to address the ailing economy would be opposed by powerful interest groups and strong cartels. As demonstrated in its earlier stints at the federal level, PML(N) not only has the ability to make these fundamental institutional reforms, but also the political will to confront the strong and powerful interest groups. The most important area where fundamental and structural reforms are required is in the area of taxation. Tax collected by the federal government and provincial governments will ultimately determine the extent of investment in education, health, housing and infrastructure projects. When PML(N) government was dismissed in October 1999, tax to GDP ratio was a respectable 13.8 %, which has since declined and is presently around 9%. The high tax to GDP ratio was achieved in spite of significant reduction in personal and corporate income tax rates. Tax 17 rules were simplified, taxes made broad-based and the tax machinery more accountable and loop holes in the system effectively plugged. Through reforms in FBR and the tax system, we will target to improve the tax to GDP ratio to 15% by 2018. Informal economy will be brought into tax net…..”

After four years in government, the present tax to GDP ratio still below 11% as the tax base in Pakistan remains one of the lowest in the world.

Education: The PML-N committed in its manifesto, “Pakistan Muslim League (N) is determined to bring about an educational revolution in the country by taking following steps: National Education Emergency will be declared to eradicate illiteracy on war footing basis; A national literacy movement will be launched in which volunteers from all the segments of society will be motivated to participate; In consultation with the provinces, initiate legislation to provide a road map for achieving 100% enrollment up to the middle level and 80% universal literacy and strive to meet the target of ‘Education For All (EFA)’ and ‘Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)’ related to education within the given time frame.” The PML-N also promised a uniform system of education to minimize the problems arising from the multiplicity of systems. 

Health: Health delivery system in Pakistan is extremely inadequate. Basic medical facilities are non-existent, especially in rural areas. Hospitals are over-crowded and public awareness about primary health care is very poor. PML(N) will aim at a three fold increase in the overall expenditure on Health to at least 2% of GDP by 2018, as recommended by the United Nations. High priority will be accorded to a preventive health strategy to minimize costs of healthcare. PML(N) will introduce a comprehensive National Health Service across Pakistan with participation of the private sector…..”

As against the manifesto promise, the overall health expenditure in 2016-17 budget was 0.46%.

Local Government: The PML-N manifesto envisaged, “Apart from consolidating democratic institutions and traditions at the federal and provincial level, the imperative of democratic governance can be fulfilled only through further decentralization by devolving administrative and financial powers to elected representatives at district and lower levels…… PML(N) is fully committed to devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to elected representatives of local governments, under Article 140-A of the Constitution, adopted under the 18th Amendment. Local Government Elections shall be held within six months of general elections.”

Here too the PML-N failed to fulfill its promise. Neither the local government elections were held within six months of the 2013 general elections nor has the required devolution to empower the local government system been done.