Abu Adnan (Comment: Report's footnotes tell the real truth, BR January 1) is forthright in pointing to the political-administrative malaise that has been ailing Pakistan for the past six decades. It is hard to disagree with his views on the issues he has highlighted.
However, he makes a crucial point when he says "The starting point for real reforms has to be the civil service. Why should the President/Prime Minister/Chief Minister have exclusive power to transfer or post persons in the civil service cadre or even promote them."
And then he goes on to add "In this day of specialisation; why professionals and experts cannot be hired in government to improve the delivery system quality of governance and policy formulation as done in all developed countries." But his next observation is much more thought provoking.
He says "Fault for ills adversely impacting the economy lies with not running the public utilities or other public sector enterprises on commercial lines. Which, in effect, means placing professional management at the helm; empowering them to make business plans to make these enterprises commercially viable and then politically back the management to reduce staff and rationalise operations."
He obviously knows better what he implies thereby, but the impression the likes of me get is that, lacking governance abilities, politicians can only serve as "symbols"; the hard work of administering the state can best be done by professionals (technocrats?).
The Supreme Court has repeatedly pointed to the need to preserve democracy. I admire the court's continued faith in democracy, in spite of the democrats' open defiance of court verdicts and the court's repeated issuance of contempt notices to the top functionaries of the state.
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