Rebuilding departments

A massive restructuring plan of government departments has begun with the reorganisation of 435 federal institutions. This is based on recommendations of the Institutional Reform Cell, set up as part of the PTI government’s plan to streamline and make more efficient the running of administration. At this point, we can only watch and wait. We must hope that the plan moves ahead smoothly and that its goals are met without creating confusion or giving birth to new problems. Essentially speaking, the idea of smoothening out the working of departments and institutions is a good one, especially if there is success in bringing down the size of government and thereby cutting costs. The new executive-style bodies being set up should also, at least on paper, be able to work more effectively and in a more focused manner.

At a meeting chaired by the Cabinet Division Secretary, it was recommended that departments be divided between centralized institutions and the provinces. 12 federal government institutions it was advised should be made independent, 228 made autonomous and 43 merged. A detailed plan for this purpose was worked out. Under it, Punjab and Sindh Rangers, Coastguard, Marine, Fisheries, federal investigative agencies, the National Police Bureau and the Anti Narcotics Force would be turned into executive departments, alongside others. These important institutions would thereby run under their own management teams.Naturally, the intention is to make their day-to-day running more organised, on the pattern of entities in the private sector. We hope however that given the nature of the jobs performed by security and policing agencies in particular, a system of checks and balance is written into the plan and will be implemented. We would all like to see a leaner, meaner, system of governance take over the take of running a country which in many spheres has fallen into complete chaos. In this sense, it is good to see a bold plan being unfolded to bring about fairly dramatic change. How this will translate into reality is difficult to predict.

Much could depend on the appointment of persons to head these organisations. Old vices like nepotism needs to be ushered out and a new era of professionalism brought in. If this can happen, Pakistan’s people would be better served than before. There are however questions which will need to be answered. Institutions being handed over to the provinces will require resources to function effectively. Indeed, it will take some time for the new system to find a footing for itself and begin moving forward. We hope however that once it does it can bring about positive change. For this, it is vital that every step be carefully thought out and the implementation of the reform plan be carried out with integrity and a true commitment to offer people better services and better organisations to deal with various aspects in the public sphere.