Dan Banik and Sameen A. Mohsin Ali discuss the intricacies of bureaucratic capacity in Pakistan, examining how administrative effectiveness, political dynamics, and patronage impact the implementation of development programs.
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EPISODE NOTES
Effective bureaucracies are pivotal in mobilizing resources, implementing development projects, and ensuring equitable distribution of growth benefits across all societal segments. Conversely, weak administrative systems often result in inefficiency, corruption, and the derailment of vital development efforts aimed at improving health, education, and economic opportunities. The significance of administrative capacity extends beyond immediate program implementation. Strong administrative systems ensure that the achievements of development policies are maintained over time, adapting to new challenges like technological changes, demographic shifts, and environmental sustainability. This adaptability is essential for long-term development outcomes, making the strengthening of bureaucratic institutions a fundamental aspect of enhancing overall state capacity.
Sameen A. Mohsin Ali is an Assistant Professor of International Development at the University of Birmingham. She works in the fields of comparative politics, development studies, and political economy, with a specialisation in the bureaucratic politics of Pakistan. @sameen_mohsin
Resources
Citizen trust, administrative capacity and administrative burden in Pakistan’s immunization program (open access)
Networks of effectiveness? The impact of politicization on bureaucratic performance in Pakistan (author's accepted manuscript)
Pakistan election: the military has long meddled in the country’s politics – this year will be no different, The Conversation UK
Oral History, Collaboration and Research on Women Public Sector Workers in Pakistan, with Sana Haroon, MHRC blog
Bureaucratic Reform, Discourse, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics
The good, the bad and the ugly in Punjab’s new local government laws. Herald, 5 July, 2019.
Good sifarish, bad sifarish: A look at PML-N’s selective anti-corruption drive. DAWN 19 April, 2018.
Pakistan: COVID-19, federalism and the first wave response. (open access)
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Key highlights
Introduction – 00:24
State capacity and administrative capacity – 03:26
The role of patronage politics – 09:03
Civil servant strategies to tackle political interference – 16:49
Socialization strategies, motivation, and demotivation – 25:09
Networks of effectiveness – 32:14
Trust between citizens and the state – 45:16
Administrative Capacity and Its Impact on Development in Pakistan — Sameen A. Mohsin Ali