Administrative Reforms &

Decentralization in Pakistan

Lecture 8
Objective of the Lesson
 To understand Administrative restructuring and
reforms in Pakistan.
 To highlight the importance of local governments

structures.
 To focus the efforts of government to improve

public service delivery.

 To discuss issues in civil service of Pakistan and way

forward.
 Specific Learning Outcomes
 Administrative restructuring and reforms in Pakistan.
 Brief description of reports of various reforms commissions, committees,

etc and reforms from 1947 to 2019.

 Major reforms efforts which were fully implemented.
 Detail of five DS model.
 Importance of local governments structures.
 Devolution of function & powers from federal government to provincial

governments-2010.
 Efforts to improve public service delivery.
 Fate of the recommendations of the commissions/committees.
 Issues in civil service of Pakistan and way forward.
 Administrative Restructuring
and Reforms in Pakistan (History)
o Civil bureaucracy of Pakistan has its origins in the Indian
Civil Services (ICS) which Pakistan inherited at the time of
partition.
o ICS was formed on the recommendations of Aitcheson
Commission set up in 1866.
o The ICS cadre became the Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP),
with minor modifications.

Indian Police Service Police Service of Pakistan

External Affairs, Commonwealth Relations Pakistan Foreign Service

Accounts Department of India Pakistan Audit & Accounts Service

Custom & Central Excise Department Pakistan Custom & Excise Service

Income Tax Service Pakistan Taxation Service

Democratic and Dictatorial
4
Ruling Pattern in Pakistan
Reforms Initiatives in Pakistan
Major Reforms Efforts which were fully
implemented
Administrative Reforms-1973
 Devolution of Power Plan: Local
Government System-2001
 Decentralization: 18th Amendment- 2010
 Reforms Introduced before 1973

• In 1954, the Governor-General of Pakistan and the

governors of the provinces agreed to establish an All-
Pakistan service valid across Pakistan
• Introduction of Section Officers Schemes in the
Secretariat,
• Delegation of administrative powers to the Attached
Departments (Ads) and the Secretariat entrusted with
policy making and control,
• Creation of Economic pool for Economic Ministries,
• Re-organization of Planning Machinery
• In this period, Central district bureaucrats having a
local government structure dubbed “Basic Democracy
was designed
 Reform (Administrative) in 1973
• Introduction of Local Government System – Basic Democracies
• National Economic Council, National Finance Commission,
Election Commission and Federal and Provincial Public Service
Commissions 
• Creation of In-service training institutions for public servants
Civil Service Academy, Administrative Staff College, National
Institute of Public Administration and Pakistan Academy for
Rural Development

 As a result of these reforms following enactments and rules were promulgated:

◦ Civil Servants Act, 1973
◦ Service Tribunal Act, 1973
◦ Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion, and Transfer) Rules, 1973.

◦ The Civil Servants (Changes in Nomenclature of Service and Abolition of

Classes)Rules 1973.

◦ The Government Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 1973.

Reforms Introduced 1973-2001
 Merging of all services into a single unified
grading structure and all civil servants
categorized into 22 grades under the National
Pay Scale (later Basic Pay Scale).
 Horizontal movements allowed from one cadre to
another and the scope of out-of-turn promotions
introduced.
 Lateral entry system though which individuals
from the private sector could be inducted at
higher grades into the Government.
 The Federal and Provincial Secretaries and
Additional Secretaries could be retired from the
service without assigning any reason.
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 Devolution of Power Plan: Local Government System,
2001
 LG Plan was approved by the Cabinet and the National Security Council in August 2000.

 Provincial Local Government Ordinances promulgated on 14th August, 2001.

 The Police Order promulgated in August 2002.

 Provisions for local government system and police reforms added to the Constitution of Pakistan for giving
constitutional protection.
 Empowerment of people at grass roots level especially women, peasants/workers, and Non-Muslims.

 Empowerment of local governments through political, administrative, and financial decentralization.

 Administrations at the district, tehsil/town and union level focus on service delivery under locally elected
representatives.
 Development, based on local priorities and enhanced community participation through CCBs
(Citizens Community Boards)

 Checks and balances mechanisms within the system and accountability of the officials and
decision-makers by the people .
 Separation of executive from judiciary.

 Provision of alternate dispute resolution mechanisms (ADR).

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 The process by which the agents of central government control are relocated
and, geographically dispersed”

The transfer of rights and assets from the center to local governments or
communities.

government in which the power is divided between the national government and
other governmental units

Process of redistributing functions, powers, or people away from a

central authority by incorporating autonomous entities such as
municipalities and special districts
Devolution of Power Plan: FIVE Ds
MODEL

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 DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

ZILA NAZIM

District Head of District

Coordination Police
Officer
For functions relating
to Law & Order
Group of offices headed by EDOs

Agriculture Education Health Law Revenue

Community Finance & Information Works &

Literacy
Development Planning Technology Services
`
 LOCAL AREAS NOTIFIED
Tehsils / Towns
City Ordinary Talukas in the
Provinces Unions
Districts Districts in Ordinary City
Districts Districts

Punjab 5 30 106 38 3464

Sindh 1 22 101 18 1108

NWFP 1 23 50 4 986

Balochistan 1 27 75 2 567

Total 8 102 332 62 6125

Decentralization: 18th
Amendment -2010
 Efforts to improve Public Service
Delivery

 In terms of Constitution (18th Amendment)

Act, 2010:
- Concurrent Legislative List abolished
- Federal Legislative List partly amended

17
 Federal Legislative List Partly Amended
Part 1
 The defense of the Federation
 Military, naval and air force works
 External affairs
 Nationality, citizenship and naturalization.
 Migration
 Admission, emigration and expulsion
 Posts and telegraphs, including telephones.
 Currency, coinage and legal tender.
 Foreign exchange.
 Public debt of the Federation
 FPSC
 Federal Pensions
 Federal Ombudsmen.
 Administrative Courts and Tribunals for Federal subjects.
 Libraries, museums
 Federal Agencies
 Nuclear energy
 Port quarantine, seamen's and marine hospitals
 Maritime shipping and navigation.
 Aircraft and air navigation
 Lighthouses,
 Carriage of passengers
 Copyright, inventions, designs, trademarks and merchandise marks.
 Opium
 Import and export
 State Bank of Pakistan
 The law of insurance
 Stock exchanges
 Corporations
 International treaties, conventions and agreements and International arbitration.
 National highways and strategic roads.
 Federal surveys
 Works, lands and buildings
 Establishment
 Elections to the office of President, to the National Assembly, the Senate and the Provincial
Assemblies; Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissions.
 The salaries
 Duties of customs,
 Duties of exercise,
 Taxes on income other than agricultural income;
 Taxes on corporations.
 Taxes on the sales and purchases of goods.
 Taxes on the capital value of the assets
 Taxes on mineral oil, natural gas and minerals for use in generation of nuclear energy.
 Taxes and duties on the production capacity
 Terminal taxes
 Jurisdiction and powers of all courts
 Offences against laws
 Inquiries and statistics
 Matters incidental or ancillary.
Part 2
 Railways.
 Mineral oil and natural gas
 Development of industries
 Electricity
 Major ports,
 All regulatory authorities
 National planning and national economic coordination
 Supervision and management of public debt.
 Census.
 Extension of the powers and jurisdiction of members of a police force
 Legal, medical and other professions
 Standards in institutions for higher education and research
 Inter-provincial matters and co-ordination.
 Council of Common Interests.
 Fees in respect of any of the matters
 Offences
 Inquiries and statistics
 Matters incidental or ancillary
 List of Abolished Ministries/Dvisions
1. Special Initiatives
2. Zakat & Ushr
3. Population Welfare
4. Youth Affairs
5. Local Government & Rural Development
6. Education
7. Livestock and Dairy Development
8. Tourism
9. Culture
10. Social Welfare and Special Education
11. Environment
12. Health
13. Labour & Manpower
14. Food & Agriculture
15. Women Development
16. Minority Affairs
17. Sports
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List of Ministries/Divisions Created After Devolution as on 7-
6-2013

1) Capital Administration & Development

Division
2) Climate Change Division
3) National Food Security & Research Division
4) National Health Services, Regulations and
Coordination Division
5) Education, Trainings & Standards in Higher
Education Division
Some Ministries/Divisions have been restructured
and renamed.
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 Implications of 18th Amendment
The 18th Amendment altered about a third of Pakistan’s Constitution. it is not
difficult to expect that such a drastic overhaul would prove controversial.
In removing Article 58 2(b) and reforming electoral institutions for instance, the
18th Amendment tried even to limit the political manipulation of Pakistan’s most
powerful state institution – the armed forces.
The most enduring contention concerning the Amendment, however, has been on
the issue of devolution.
Did the 18th Amendment devolve too much power and resources away from the
centre?
This question has arisen over the country’s current response to the pandemic, its
need to execute projects related to the lucrative China Pakistan Economic
Corridor and steer away from the precipice of economic collapse.
• Whether the provinces were prepared for the expansion of administrative
responsibilities or whether devolution has delivered on its promise of
producing better governance are concerns which dovetail current debates on
the 18th Amendment.
• Another issue is that the devolution of power and resources from provincial
governments to local governments as stipulated by the insertion of Article
140A remains unfulfilled.
 Present Local Government

 KPK-Local Govt. Law (2013 AND UPDATED

2019)Punjab Local Govt. Act 2019,
 THE PUNJAB LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 2019 
 Sindh Local Government Act, 2013
 THE BALOCHISTAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT,
2010-AMENDED -2013

 Local government is going to conduct elections

at local level to elect their representative
 RTI
 Pakistan’s current right to information or RTI law, giving citizens the right
to access information held by public bodies, the 2002 Freedom of
Information Ordinance, is by any measure a very weak enactment.
 Any citizen of Pakistan can file a written request to a designated
official of a public body via email, fax or post. The citizen is not
bound to disclose the purpose of their request but the public body is
bound to provide the requested information within 14 working days.
In cases where no response is received, the citizen can file a
complaint to the respective Information Commission.
RTI Laws

 Baluchistan Freedom of Information Act 2005

 Right of Access to Information Act 2017 (Federal)
 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013
 The Punjab Transparency and RTI Act 2013
 Sindh RTI Bill2016
Pakistan dropped 16 places in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2021
compared to the previous year, ranking 140 out of 180 countries. The scale of
zero to 100 where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
Salient Features of TI Report-2021: Overview
 Salient Features of TI Report-2021
 National Corruption Perception Survey 2021 has revealed that police
remain the most corrupt sector, the judiciary was seen as second most
corrupt, tendering and contracting the third most corrupt while health
has climbed to become the fourth most corrupt since the last NCPS 2011.
According to the Judicial Statistics of Pakistan 2020 report by the National
Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, there are 46,698 cases pending in the
Supreme Court and 1,772,990 cases pending in the District Judiciary.
 A vast majority (85.9%) of people consider the federal government’s self-
accountability to be unsatisfactory.
 Pakistanis continued to believe that the corruption in the government
sector is high. The police (41.4%), judiciary (17.4%) and
contracting/tendering (10.3%) are the three most corrupt sectors
according to the survey, while contracts of roads (59.8%), cleanliness and
garbage collection (13.8%), access to water (13.3%) and the drainage
system (13.1%) are top the list of public services for which people have to
pay bribes to get access to.
 The three most important causes of corruption, according to the NCPS
2021, are weak accountability (51.9%), the greed of powerful people
(29.3%) and low salaries (18.8%).
 Salient Features of TI Report-2021
 As measures to reduce corruption, 40.1% of Pakistanis say an
increase in/stringent punishments for corruption cases, 34.6%
Pakistanis say accountability of public officers by expediting NAB’s
handling of corruption cases, and 25.3% say a complete ban on
those convicted of corruption from holding public office, are key
to combat corruption in Pakistan.
 The survey also sheds light on local governments and how their
presence could have helped Pakistan establish a firmer grip on the
situation arising out of Covid-19.
 A large number (47.8%) of Pakistanis consider that if local
government elected representatives were in place, Covid-19 public
awareness campaigns could have been launched in a more
effective manner.
 A large proportion of Pakistanis (72.8%) believe that public sector
corruption at the grassroots levels has increased due to the
absence of local government.
 A total of 89.1% of Pakistanis say that they did not pay any bribe
to any government official during the federal government’s Covid-
19 relief efforts for deserving citizens.
 Salient Features of TI Report-2021
 A significant proportion of the population (81.4%) has denied that
it willingly pays bribes and instead there was a clear perception
that bribes are extorted from the public through tactics such as
inaction or delay in the provision of public services.
 Compared to the three most recent federal governments, the
majority of Pakistanis (92.9%) consider inflation and the price hike
to be the highest during the current PTI government (2018-2021),
compared to 4.6 % who thought the same for the PML-N
government (2013-2018) and 2.5% of the PPP government (2008-
2013).
 This coincides with 85.9% Pakistanis who say that their income
levels have been squeezed and have decreased during the last
three years.
 The main reasons citizens blame for rising inflation and
unemployment are: government incompetence (50.6%), corruption
(23.3%), undue Interference of politicians in government affairs
(9.6%) and lack of implementation of policies (16.6%).
 The majority of Pakistanis (66.8%) believes that the present
government’s accountability drive is partial.
 WAY FORWARD
Certain structural, procedural and behavioural
changes in the Government’s structures and
systems are needed
Structural Changes
1. Rationalization of administrative structures.

2. Abolition of organizations that have outlived

their utility.
3. Horizontal movement of personnel from one
service or cadre to another service or cadre
irrespective of Federal or Provincial Service.

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 Structural Changes

4. Merger of organizations that have functional

similarities, duplicity, and overlapping
activities.
5. Decentralization of authority.
6. Restructuring of service groups.
7. Extent of use of specialists in public services.
8. Job Content Analysis (JCA).
9. Observance of the principle of right man for
the right job.
10. Restoration of Local Governments Model 2001.
 WAY FORWARD Continued

Procedural Changes
1. Simplification of existing forms or designing
new forms and proper communication to the
concerned officials and general public.

2. Streamlining the existing procedures and

replacing them with the new procedures.

3. Developing performance standards

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 WAY FORWARD Continued

Behavioural Changes

1. Improvement of interpersonal relationship.

2. Proper training in human relations approach.

3. Rewarding honest and hardworking personnel.

4. Capacity Building of Government

Functionaries.
Assessment Questions
In the current situation how present local
government can play their role to combat
existing crises?
 Which Efforts was done in the past to

improve Public Service Delivery and which

efforts are required to improve the efficiency
of civil service in Pakistan?