Pakistan Public Policies — More Vote-Oriented than Benefit-Oriented

Public policy is an action, regulation, or tool formulated by the government to address societal issues in politics, education, transportation, or other vital factors of the state. The significant role of the government is to promote the public policies that contribute towards sustainable development, economic growth, and improvement in the well-being of the local people. Consequently, if a policy does not immediately respond to the particular issue, it may have prolonged effects on socio-economic growth and the development of society.

Policymaking is how government addresses the issues faced by the local people.

Since its inception, Pakistan has failed to provide better policymaking and implementation for local people. According to the constitution of Pakistan, for the development of public policies, the Executive is responsible. Soon after the 18th amendment, there have been several areas in policymaking, including health, education, and local government. Since independence, in reality, policymaking has been dominated by the vested interest of the political parties or policymakers.

Hence, Pakistan has not presented a sustainable mechanism to implement and formulate better public policies. This has resulted from the lack of leadership and vision, widespread corruption, and poor relationship between Institutions and communities. In this race, the industrial sector plays a significant role in the growth and development of the country. The private sector already had low expectations from the government due to sorry performance over the past decades. There is no availability of improving essential services and physical infrastructure facilities to provide the private sector with plenty to groan about.

Today, it has become the standard practice to question government intentions and development policies set forth. In reality, political interventions have wholly destroyed the framework of policymaking because the policy process involves the state, Institutions, specific Central and provisional Agencies, Bureaucracy, and the political elites. Therefore, policymaking is determined through political interests and motives. Policymaking is more “Vote orientated” than “Benefit-oriented” for the local people of the country.

Example — Underpasses
In the name of democracy, the leadership gets the votes and has the right to implement the policies without considering the outcomes of the procedure for the local people. Few Pakistani engineers were sent to France to understand the underpasses built to ease the traffic on the roads. Upon coming back, engineers constructed tunnels according to the lessons they learned from the France underpasses. After the construction was completed for the underpasses, it was realized that France had right-handed drivers, unlike Pakistan.

It does not mean the country does not have skilled and efficient engineers, but it is the selection based on the intervention of bureaucrats and political elites that results in the destruction of policies that can become beneficial for the country’s local people.

Example- Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme
The current government claimed housing is a fundamental human right and promised to go for the vision of a Naya Pakistan Housing scheme for the people of Pakistan. However, it is stranger that Naya Pakistan Housing scheme given by Prime Minister Imran Khan is formulated for middle-class people rather than the poor living in miserable conditions. It is clear from the installment payment plans offered by the housing scheme advertisement.

It is clearly not a good policy for the public where they can get relief living in miserable conditions. Conversely, middle-class people are struggling in their lives to go for a better living standard. But, the major problem lies with those who do not own a home. Subsequently, there should have been the Naya Pakistan Housing scheme for the poor people.

Public policy has frequently been tied to financial aid from different sources. Hence, policymaking is per the instructions received from the donors. It includes the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and a bilateral donor. Local pressure groups, including landlords and significant Industrialists, also influence policymaking likely to affect their businesses. So there is a lot of pressure on the government to pay back, keeping in view the cost-benefit ratio of the policy implementation.

No Public-Input
It reflects there is no public input in making the policy, or there is no research to verify the assumptions that are beneficial for the local people. Thus, the public-input vacuum in making the policy is almost always filled by the politicians or other bureaucrats for their vested interest.

Governments must respect the wisdom of local people to provide the needs of the masses and essential point to quest for physical, economic, physiological, and social security for the ordinary people. Even a child knows the reality that need is more critical than aspiration. For the importance of National Security, there is a need to go for a firm policy. The state is focusing on getting security for their own purpose to get secured from their enemies. Sadly, there is no policy for the public to get secure in their daily lives. It must focus on peacebuilding to build confidence among the investors to go for the businesses and prosper the country.

No Policy making Debate
Pakistan is a democratic country, and it cannot function well without having a suitable medium for making the policy debate. A public policy is often flawed because there is no such debate to point out and fix the issues related to the outcome or results of the policy for the local people. A common man can prosper having bad governance as long as a local administration is loyal and effective. They can suffer under a good government if the local government is serving well they have voted for.

Poor Infrastructure and lack of Basic Needs for Revival of Industrialization
Better infrastructure is of great importance for successful industrialization in the country. When the investor knows that roads for transport are not well enough to do or commence the business, then it will be costly for the investor and risky at the same time to go for the investment for business in such a country. Moreover, basic needs such as energy or water are necessary to commence the business.

In conclusion, Pakistan is a country with countless natural resources. Therefore, it can cope with the issues that have arisen due to mismanagement or poor leadership. Once the administration is determined to provide better infrastructure and basic needs to the private sector, industrialization in the country can prosper. It is the example of a single policy for business purposes that can bring development to its economy. On the other hand, the government can move towards better policies that benefit the local people, including health, education, and other sectors.