Profound deficit!

Being a critic is a rather thankless job; invariably, however positively a review is articulated, from the subject writer's perspective the review will be deemed to be misconceived and fraught with literary and factual faux pas. And indeed a writer has every right to ridicule and disagree with critique since writing a book is a stressfully tedious enterprise; something which I keep thinking about but have yet to undertake. Accordingly, and as always, I begin with applauding the writer for his efforts and apologize for any omissions on my part.
After a rather hefty Preface, running over 32 pages of the book 'Governance Deficit - A Case Study of Pakistan' written by Saeed Ahmad Qureshi and published by Sang-e-Meel Publication, the storyline begins with an explanation of the concept of governance which in itself was enlightening since it provides a summary on what exactly is governance from the perspective of International Financial Institutions, including the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. Personally, one subscribes to the view quoted in the first chapter that IFIs have no mandate to take up political questions. Nonetheless, a shorter version of World Bank's 2005 concept of governance perhaps best explains the term, "Governance is the traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised for the common good"; which definition alone is perhaps indicative of what is coming next in the book.
Here I must confess, considering the long career and related experience of the author, especially his appointment at the helm of the State as Secretary General, I almost expected to be surprised byidentification of some positivity in Pakistan's governance since our independence which some of us might have overlooked. Contrarily the very next chapter lays that particular myth to rest completely. Eight blows to the constitution, military rewriting the constitution, judiciary failing the constitution with democrats disowning the constitutional option time and again, family fiefdoms and dynastic stranglehold on politics, viewing opposition as insurgency, failing federation and failing civil service are the themes elaborated upon to argue a normative void in Pakistan for smooth functioning of the State. On a different note, the book is very well researched and provides a good history of Pakistan's successive governments.
Amongst the causes for Pakistan's governance deficit, militancy besieging the state supersedes all others in order of discussion in the book. Again there is extensive research on various incidents and militant organizations banned or otherwise, which stretches through the length and breadth of the particular chapter; with a tendency of getting monotonous at times raising questions about their very inclusion in this much detail. Additionally, albeit arguably, militancy has been afflicting the country in the later decades, and the analysis leaves the reader wondering about the causes of governance deficit in the earlier decades of Pakistan's existence; if there was such a deficit.
The question which comes to mind around this time while reading the book is whether the nation has perennially suffered from a governance deficit since independence or was there a time when the nation might have scored prominently on the World Bank's composite index on the quality of governance. Considering the authors vast experience working with the State, a comparable analysis of times when we did good with times when we face a governance deficit, might have been a useful and knowledgeable read. Unfortunately the absence thereof might even point towards a conclusion that Pakistan has always faced a governance deficit, which if deemed true has horrific implications.
The chapter on wars within, gives a history on sectarian violence, the related organizations, rather longish, and goes on to discuss Karachi and Baluchistan. Definitely all of these are challenges, but the less informed might argue that these may necessarily not be the causes of bad governance but may have magnified because of lack of governance. Much the same can be said about the decline of States autonomy, shrinking of governance space and failure to deliver on projects. Admittedly the existence of these factors point towards the fact that all is not well in Pakistan, but the critical debate would have been the "Why" not the "What".
Lack of accountability is definitely one such reason and the book rightly points out, what was news for me at least, that Pakistan has had one of the largest armory of laws in the world to deal with corruption. While not stated explicitly, but the following extracts from the book perhaps explain the reason for not being able to implement this huge paraphernalia of laws covering corruption, "The judicial branch of the government is considered the least efficient. The consensus of informed research is that the judiciary is; inadequately staffed, underfunded, poorly trained, insensitive to stakeholders, poorly supported by the legal profession, largely unaccountable, ill equipped with modern technology and unfamiliar with modern court arrangement. Public perception of judiciary is largely in alignment with the above views. The relevant studies have concluded that:-i) Corruption, favoritism, negligence and incompetence are widespread...".
Reading the book was quite depressive for a patriot and one can't help wondering what exactly is going on in our beloved Pakistan and who and what is exactly responsible. Unfortunately, while the author takes pains in pointing out that we have a governance deficit, the causes and remedies going forward are strikingly missing. Definitely, the media and civic society keeps making demands for good governance, with repeated expose on corrupt practices in recent times, the fact that absolutely nothing has changed does raise doubt on the sincerity and commitment, or inability to make a difference, of these pillars of governance. On the question, "Who is responsible for the governance deficit in Pakistan", the reader is left high and dry.
Perhaps even more pertinently, a conclusive way forward from the author was essential to complete the experience of reading the book. Are we where we are because the dictators failed us or does the blame vest with the politicians; a critical question for a nation struggling with democracy and hoping that the system will help in evolving Pakistan into a developed nation sooner than later. The author's view on accountability and judicial system aside, the decline of the State, essentially the bureaucracy, is perhaps a cogent enough reason for the failure of any state as evidenced by history as well. Can this decline be reversed, is their hope and what needs to be done to achieve this desired State are perhaps topics which we can look forward to in the author's next endeavor.