Dictatorship and governance in Pakistan Powered by: Futurenotez.com

Introduction In the context of local governance, justifying the statement that un-elected institutions are more powerful rather than elected parliament. Because unelected govt. who ruled over Pakistan have made some important reforms as per the need of that ruling period. From 1947 to till date Pakistan have been faced 3 eras in which the reforms of local governance experimented. That three major models of reforms was in 1962, 1979 and 2001.the regimes was of Field Marshal Ayub Khan (1958-59), General Zia-ul-Haq (1977-88) and General Pervaiz Musharaf (1999-2007).

After Independence to Ayub’s Era: There was low GDP rate and there was low Local Service delivery and it was increased Centralization. Local Body System was experimented after Ayub’s martial Law of 1958. It was similar like British system, and was controlled by Controlling Authorities like bureaucracy. (DC, Commissioners and govt. of different tiers). Ayub given huge funds to local governance through local level members because he was having big support from such areas. Program design and implementations was duty of local members.

The Era of Zia-ul-Haq: Martial law was imposed by General Zia–ul-Haq from1977 to 1988 Zia started Local Bodies by giving Local Governance Ordinance 1979. District council was given authorities to govern rural areas. Urbanization was also promoted during zia’s time. The tension and clash between provincial and local government caused the suspension of local bodies from 1993 to 1998.

Regime of Pervaiz Musharaf : After imposing martial law, Musharaf given different good plans, one of them was a Devolution Plan 2000 and it was devolution of power. On august 14th, 2001, Local governance ordinance delivered to all four provinces. The new local governance was three tier system such as district council, tehsil council, and at village level union or union council. The head of tehsil was Tehsil nazim and Assistant Commissioner reports him. Similiar like tehsil, in district level District nazim act as head of district and DCO assist him in all official matters. This system allowed public to participate in decision making.

Economic Assessments in un-elected Regimes: Ayub Khan’s Regime Zia-ul-Haq’s Regime Musharaf’s Regime In Ayub’s era the increase in GDP growth was measured 6.50% on average. 1st aid episode (during cold war). Resources utilization, Investments in water and power sector. Green revolutions. Better quality of services. In Zia Era the increase in GDP growth rate was measured 6.27% per annum. 2nd aid episode (Soviet-Afghan War). Public sector enhanced its operations. Good growth. Improved agriculture. Decline in quality of governance. Islamization. Rapid growth measured. 3rd episode of aid (Post 9/11 War) Better governance. Devolution plans. Privatizations. Many other infrastructural and developmental achievements.  

Economic Assessments in Elected Parliamentarian’s Regimes: Democratic Beginnings Yahya & Zulfiqar’s Regime Benazir & Nawaz Regime There was low economic growth due to new born country. It was a time of high cost of defense. There was low utilization of resources. Delivering public services and quality of governance was moderate. In Yahya’s & Bhutto’s regime GDP was 4.5% which was actually 2% decrease in GDP per annum. Aid stoppage. Nationalization of different institutions. Low quality of governance. BeNazir: 1) The GDP growth rate was measured 5.4% per annum (decreased). The afghan war ended. 3) The aid stoppage. Privatization. 4) Decline in governance. 5) Failed to make relations with IMF and WB. Nawaz Sharif: 1) The growth rate in GDP was assessed 5.97% per annum. 2) No aid received. 3) Low level quality of governance. 4) Taxes imposed. 5) Privatization of institutions.

Conclusion: After discussing three regimes and after checking economic assessments we can conclude, that military regimes (un-elected) are best so far rather than elected because in every unelected regime powers are shifted to grass root level and reforms for local level governance have been made. If we see GDP so its continuously increasing in unelected regimes. The recent system given by Gen. Pervaiz Musharaf was accurate because it eliminates centralization.

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