By Imran Khan: Governance has always been a major challenge in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. Over the years, there has been a visible disconnect between the public and those in power. Many people have felt neglected and betrayed by politicians and rulers, while the benefits of effective governance have failed to reach ordinary citizens, especially young people. At the same time, people have witnessed significant improvements in the lifestyles of some political leaders, often while development in their own areas remained limited. This sense of deprivation and exclusion is often cited as one of the factors contributing to frustration and alienation among young people.
The widening gap between citizens and those in authority has contributed to a serious erosion of public trust. In some cases, frustration and hopelessness have pushed young people towards destructive paths. It was against this backdrop that the new provincial government took office and placed governance among its foremost priorities.
The Chief Minister sought to move away from the traditional model of governance and, from the outset, clearly communicated his vision and priorities to the bureaucracy. His efforts were supported by an experienced, educated, professional and dedicated Chief Secretary, who served as a key adviser in translating the government’s vision into administrative action.
Under the Chief Secretary’s leadership, the bureaucracy was positioned as an instrument of institutional change. He provided frank and professional advice to the Chief Minister and helped facilitate decisions based on merit and objective considerations. He introduced a performance evaluation mechanism for departments and officers based on tangible and measurable criteria, with the aim of reducing the influence of personal preferences and improving accountability.
One of the major areas of focus was recruitment in essential public services. Proposals for simpler and more transparent recruitment of teachers, lecturers, doctors and paramedics were aimed at addressing staff shortages in schools, colleges and hospitals. The article claims that these measures contributed to making a large number of educational and health institutions functional. It further states that around 98 percent of schools are now functional and that doctors and paramedics who were previously absent from their places of posting are now performing their duties there.
The recruitment process was also made simpler, transparent and merit-based. According to the article, these measures helped reduce opportunities for corruption, nepotism and favouritism and were appreciated by members of the public.
Another significant area of administrative reform was the handling of unions and associations. The Chief Secretary took a firm position against what he regarded as unjustified demands and resisted pressure generated through protests and strikes. He supported departmental secretaries and engaged with political leadership to prevent administrative decisions from being dictated by pressure groups. This approach, according to the article, gave government officers greater freedom to take administrative initiatives and focus on improving departmental performance.
The Chief Secretary also remained engaged with senior officers and regularly monitored their performance. The emphasis was placed not only on issuing directions but also on following up on their implementation.
Reforming Development Planning
Development planning was another major challenge. The article argues that provincial development depends heavily on an effective Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), and that development projects without a clear vision, strategy and monitoring mechanism can fail to produce meaningful results.
The Chief Secretary reportedly played an important role in reorienting the PSDP towards public-service-oriented, community-based and strategic projects. According to the article, the development programme previously included a significant number of projects based on individual or localized interests, whereas greater emphasis was subsequently placed on projects intended to benefit communities.
Monitoring was also given greater importance. The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Wing of the Planning and Development Department was made functional, while Deputy Commissioners were assigned responsibility for monitoring development schemes in their respective districts and reporting on their progress.
The article argues that this monitoring mechanism helped reduce the possibility of inaccurate reporting and substandard work. At the district level, Deputy Commissioners were also entrusted with funds for addressing smaller but important public needs, including pavements, street lighting and drainage. This was intended to strengthen district administration while allowing local authorities to respond more quickly to everyday development needs.
The Chief Secretary also initiated performance reviews of various authorities and commissions, assigning them targets and encouraging them to improve efficiency and financial sustainability. The objective was to make these institutions more effective in delivering public services while reducing their dependence on government resources.
Improving Procurement and Transparency
Public procurement was another area identified for reform. The Chief Secretary directed the Balochistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (BPPRA) to examine procurement procedures and present relevant findings in the meetings of secretaries on a regular basis.
The article states that data revealed instances in which single bidders participated in procurement processes, potentially limiting competition and benefiting specific firms or companies. In response, secretaries were directed to supervise procurement more closely and ensure that the process remained fair, competitive and transparent.
The article presents these measures as part of a broader effort to strengthen accountability and improve public confidence in government institutions.
Recognizing the growing importance of digital communication, departments, commissioners and deputy commissioners were also encouraged to establish official social media accounts and use them to inform the public about government initiatives and development activities. Departments were further instructed to update their websites and make relevant information available online.
The establishment of a Right to Information Commission in the province is also highlighted as an important step towards greater transparency and public access to government information.
The Role of Effective Bureaucracy
The central argument of the article is that meaningful governance reforms require capable, professional and committed administrative leadership. It presents the Chief Secretary as a key figure behind several administrative, development and institutional reforms and argues that political leadership can achieve more when supported by an effective and innovative bureaucracy.
The article concludes that institutional change requires political will, administrative commitment and sustained implementation. It portrays the experience of Balochistan as an example of how political leadership and a professional bureaucracy can work together to improve public service delivery, strengthen accountability and restore public confidence in government institutions.
The author is Secretary Information, Government of Balochistan.
