The nations of the world agree on certain key activities that a government must perform to effectively govern the political, economic, and social affairs of a country—collectively known as governance. Governance encompasses the structure of government, decision-making processes, accountability of activities, control over institutional and public affairs, and the behavior of top management within public
organizations. Public governance plays a crucial role in any society. In Pakistan, the public sector is the largest employer, a major GDP contributor, and a vital part of the market economy. It provides goods and services, redistributes income through an effective taxation system, and ensures peace, justice, and fairness
The World Bank measures public governance— whether good or bad—based on the following
factors: accountability, political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, rule of law, and control of corruption. The World Bank’s report on Pakistan Governance Diagnostics, Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness report, the Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, and
Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) have consistently ranked Pakistan poorly across all governance indicators. These international rankings clearly indicate that governance in Pakistan is not performing well.
Pakistan faces governance issues that weaken the government and erode public trust. The government struggles to deliver services due to systemic problems that fuel conflicts, promote inequality, and undermine confidence.
Governance and peacebuilding are deeply interconnected, as effective governance fosters stability, equity, and justice—critical components of sustainable peace.
Rule of law is essential for good governance, urging governments to implement it as a prime value in all institutions. In peaceful societies, citizens trust government institutions, e.g., police for safety, schools for education, hospitals for health, and vendors for genuine products. In Pakistan, however, institutional
corruption—through relationships or bribery— undermines this trust, as the economically powerful face no legal accountability. Nepotism and favoritism are common in public institutions, and these beliefs reduce trust in government institutions, increasing the feeling of injustice, insecurity, and fear of competition for scarce resources and services. Eventually, all this creates unrest in the minds of the general public, disturbing their peace of mind whenever they interact with these institutions.
Social inclusion/equity is the biggest conflict factor in Pakistan. Balochistan’s primary grievance is inequitable resource allocation, a perception also shared in Sindh, where people feel they lack an equal share of resources such as security, water, and other essentials. This resentment is not only a regional issue; most citizens feel the same when they compare the taxes, they pay with the services they receive.
Marginalized communities and minorities also face exclusion and inequity, despite having equal civic rights. The rural-urban divide is clearly visible in services like health, education, and infrastructure. This unequal distribution of resources disturbs the peace of mind and creates hurdles in fulfilling basic human needs.
Corruption is also a very common problem in our country, and Pakistan consistently ranks high on corruption indexes and in the discourse of the general public. Corruption not only misuses resources but also causes unequal distribution of resources and injustice. Perpetuating inequality further creates many
governance issues and challenges its effectiveness, questioning the system itself. Eventually, it weakens the credibility of governance and the public’s trust in the government. Most institutional issues are
related to corruption, e.g., conflicts between institutions and the public, ineffectiveness, and inefficiency, all of which are ingrained due to corrupt practices. As a result, institutions become a source of violence—just like the police, which is often seen as more of an institution of violence than of safety.
ENABLING PEACEBUILDING: Peacebuilding is any activity that resolves injustice in nonviolent ways and transforms the structural conditions that generate destructive conflicts. The process includes violence
prevention and conflict resolution. To build peace in Pakistani society, the government should promote the rule of law so that citizens feel the structure will treat them as equals. This will help citizens trust the institutions and prioritize them when resolving conflicts, rather than relying on their families or informal
methods like jirgas.
Pakistani society is divided along ethnic, religious, economic, and territorial lines, and these divisions generally create intolerance when limited resources are not equally distributed or based on equity. Similarly, inclusion is challenging due to high levels of intolerance, but strengthening democracy and
local government could help resolve these issues. Decentralization is the only system with the ability to reach out to every citizen without discrimination
Finally, violence and conflict resulting from corruption can be reduced or ended by eliminating corruption within government institutions and strengthening them through e-governance, as seen in NADRA, which is almost corruption-free. E-governance, combined with awareness and the introduction of high moral
values from top management, could enhance trust in institutions and processes, ultimately helping in peacebuilding. Despite all the issues the government is facing, it should focus on the following reforms to ensure peacebuilding in Pakistan:
- Judicial reforms (reducing delay in justice)
- Enhance civic education through schooling
- Decentralization of powers by introducing and strengthening local governments
- Anti-corruption systems and e-governance in every institution
- Youth & women engagement in inclusive governance
- Empowering marginalized communities, and fostering social harmony to reduce ruralurban divides or gender disparities.
Peacebuilding is not possible without citizens’ support. They must reduce tolerance for corruption by providing moral education to their children and supporting the following:
1. Whistle-blowing
2. Priority to collective welfare over personal gain
3. Respecting the rule of law over the bribe
4. Support for Democracy
5. Acceptance of all minorities on an equal basis
6. Rejecting the inequality and social divide
7. Priority to civic education & responsibility
Public governance is the key to providing services, access to resources, and corruption-free institutions, hence building peace in Pakistan.
Muhammad Arshad Warsi
Trainer & Consultant, PhD Scholar
marshadwarsi@outlook.com
