Crisis of governance

PML-N has only itself to blame

First came the petrol shortages. After the crisis paralysed Punjab, it spilled over to KP and Sindh forcing people to spend nights queuing up for petrol The Finance Minister called it a conspiracy against the government. With none of the three concerned ministers willing to take the blame, the government looked for scapegoats and the axe finally fell on government officials. This sent a highly negative message to bureaucracy. There are reports of officials seeking transfer from the risk prone ministries to safer ones.

Right in the heels of petrol shortages comes the worst ever power breakdown in Pakistan’s history, plunging 80 per cent of the country into darkness. While power has been mostly restored in the big cities, 17 districts of Balochistan are still without electricity and the rural areas are still having 8-10 hours of load shedding. Again no action has been taken against any minister. However, apprehending strong reaction from the already demoralised officials if they were once again made scapegoats, a terrorist attack on a transmission line in Balochistan has been described as the cause behind the breakdown. The minister for water and power has promised two measures to stop the recurrence of countrywide shutdowns: better security for transmission lines and technical help from China to keep the impact of any power shutdown localised. The obvious question is why weren’t the measures taken after the previous shutdowns?

The government has been avoiding action against Cabinet members because the Prime Minister himself controls the ministries with government secretaries directly reporting to him. Most of the ministers enjoy perks and privileges but have little authority. The system of parliamentary democracy with duly empowered and responsible Cabinet Ministers has been replaced under the PML-N with what critics call a system where the Prime Minister acts like an absolute monarch. While the humiliated bureaucrats have little choice than to sulk, an unjustly disgraced minister might spill the beans. As long as this style of governance persists, crises will continue to take place.