Problems Of

Bureaucracy
In Pakistan
Submitted By
BSPA 3rd Year
Roll#57
Submitted to
Sir Hassan Abbas

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Contents

Prologue to Bureaucracy

Role of Bureaucracy

Universal Problems of Bureaucracy

Problems And Recommendations for Pakisatan Bureaucracy

(i)Tackling Over-Centralization
(ii)Reducing Corruption and Increasing Accountability
(iii)Personnel Management
(iv)Modernizing Civil Services
Conclusion

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Prologue to Bureaucracy:
According to Max Weber (1864-1920), bureaucracy is an institutional method for applying general
rules to specific cases, thereby making the actions of government fair and predictable. Max Weber gave
this definition in the initial state of this field but the problem for leaders of governing human systems that
grew larger and more complicated with each passing year and today the term bureaucracy has at least four
separate meanings:
1. The totality of government offices or bureaus that constitute the permanent government of a state;
that is, those people and functions that continue irrespective of changes in political leadership.
2. All of the public officials of a government.
3. A general invective to refer to any inefficient organization encumbered by red tape.
4. A specific set of structural arrangements.
Bureaucracy is sometimes called the fourth branch of government. While technically under control
of the executive branch, it sometimes seems to function as if it had a will, power, and legal authority all
its own.
Role of Bureaucracy:
The existence of bureaucracy is a necessary condition to run the affairs of the state. Now it
depends on the structure of the government as to what type of role it wants to assign to bureaucracy.
There is no denying the fact that bureaucracies are doing good work too within their allotted ambit but
then you need to see the difference in the role and orientation of bureaucracy among the developed and
developing worlds. Let us look at the role of bureaucracy in both the developed and especially the
developing countries vis--vis policy formulation in order to identify why our country has performed so
poorly in the delivery of services.
The main function of bureaucracy in any part of the world is to implement the policies of the
sitting government with full commitment and devotion. The basic idea behind the formation of
bureaucratic structures was to provide permanent government in the sense that bureaucrats kept running
the system for the larger benefit of the people, as they were and are civil servants. Political executive in
the form of politicians could come and go but the bureaucrats stayed on to look after the working of the
governments. So their job has never been the formulation of policy. They do help the political leadership
in policy-making but never make policies themselves. It is within the sole domain of the politicians to
formulate policies as their mandate stems from their being elected representative of people. Undoubtedly,
the political class has abandoned its role of policy formulation and bureaucrats have taken over this role
by filling in the vacuum.
Universal Problems of Bureaucracy:
Most people regardless of their state, culture or form of government complain about following
main problems of bureaucracy:

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Efficiency implies to the ratio of valued resources used to valued outputs produced, the smaller that ratio,
the more efficient the production. If the valued output is a provision of health facility, [for example], then
whatever process uses the least money or the least time to produce a satisfactory health facility is the most
efficient process. People reports that the measures taken by the bureaucrats to facilitate masses takes too
much time and money to accomplish because of corruption and red tapism.
Arbitrariness refers to officials acting without legal authority, or with that authority in a way that
offends our sense of justice. Justice means, first, that we require the government to treat people equally on
the basis of clear rules known in advance.
Red tape--complex rules and procedures required to get anything done. You have to make sure that all the
rules of the organization are being followed--you do that by filling out forms--everything is in black and
white. There isa paper trail--you can prove you did everything the way you were supposed to.
Red tape can be used as a weapon against programs that aren't popular with the administration or the
heads of agencies. E.g.: you may have to fill out so many forms,it's just simpler not to participate in a
program. The program will cease to exist if no one uses it.
Duplication--two or more agencies seem to be doing the same job
Imperialism--the tendency of agencies to grow without regard to their costs or benefits. If an
organization was established to "promote the public good", how do you know when it's achieved its goal?
Waste--spending more than is needed for a product. There is little or no incentive for government
employees to reduce costs for the agency--they won't get a bonus or be able to keep for the organization
the money they saved. There are often regulation/red tape regarding who products must be bought from-eg: from suppliers in a particular congressional district or only from US manufacturers.
Restrictions are imposed for political gain, but it results in higher costs for the government. Private
businesses have more of an incentive to buy for the lowest price.
Whistle-blowers who try to point out problems risk losing their jobs or being labeled a "trouble maker"
and being given bad assignments in the hopes that they will just quit or be passed over for promotions.
They aren't benefited for doing good like they would be in the private sector.
Slowness--Dramatic change within the bureaucracy is rare because there are so many points along the
way where different people are involved in the decision-making process. People on different sides of the
issue may pressure the bureaucrat to support or oppose particular policies. Difficulty implementing
programs--if the goals of the program designed by parliment are not specific enough,or if the goals are
complex.
Complex goals take a long time to complete, so it may actually look like the organization is doing
nothing. Often agencies aren't staffed enough to complete all the tasks they are given. eg: employing
only 20 or 30 inspectors to monitor the transportation of hazardous waste all over the country. eg:
reducing the number of officials working for the
EPA will mean that companies will be able to pollute and won't be caught. Programs may look nothing
like they were envisioned to look when they are implemented by others-can change along the way.

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Incompetent/inefficient/ineffective employees Personnel policies have changed. Appointments to
the bureaucracy used to be made in an attempt to reward local supporters or help build up local party
organizations--they were needed for nominating candidates and getting out the vote on election day.
Presidents could select people that were at least somewhat supportive of their policies; they could use
jobs in the bureaucracy as a reward for supporting their politics.
Problems and Recommendations for Pakistan Bureaucracy:
TACKLING OVER-CENTRALISATION:
Over-centralization of powers and functions has consistently undermined any serious attempts at civil
service reform. Combined with cumbersome rules and procedures and a rigidly defined hierarchical
structure, centralization prevents the bureaucracy from effectively managing a public sector that has
expanded considerably since the 1970s. Even the recruitment or transfer of clerks and other low-level
support staff cannot take place without the approval of the secretary or at times even the minister,
distracting senior officials from more vital tasks of implementing government policy. While centralization
is said to reduce costs and improve service delivery, it has made the bureaucracy less responsive to public
concerns and priorities. In fact, rigid centralised procedures undermine service delivery, contributing to a
corresponding increase in public dissatisfaction with the bureaucracy.
Rules and procedures should be revised to reduce hierarchical rigidity and encourage delegation
Reducing Corruption and Increasing Accountability:
Bureaucratic corruption take s several forms, including abuse of discretionary power, misuse of regulatory
authority, as well as institutionalized and participative practices. Although government contracts, for
example, are awarded through open tenders and other apparent open processes, the lack of transparency in
executive authority and decisions make these procedures easier to manipulate. Low salaries and pensions
and inadequate welfare programs for civil servants have also encouraged widespread corruption, while at
the same time lowering morale and increasing inefficiency.
Bureaucrats argue that low salaries are not the only factor contributing to high level of corruption, but
there is far greater acceptance of corruption and abuse of authority not only in bureaucracy itself but in
society in general.
To reduce corruption there should be strong evaluation system through annual confidential reports
(ACRs)
Personnel Management:
1. Enhance civil service performance and revive a spirit of public service by:
a) Increasing salaries and pensions, particularly for those at the bottom of the hierarchy, providing better
housing, transport and health insurance for all government employees, and subsidised school-ing for their
children;
b) Conducting regular training, including refresher courses, at all levels of the bureaucracy;

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c) Improving standards of inst ruction at training in-stitutions to inculcate professional skills as well as
norms and practices that reward integrity and professional commitment;
d) Providing competitive compensation and benefits to attract qualified and motivated instructors;
e) Linking an officers performance during training programs with promotions, thus no longer using
successful completion as the only yardstick;
f) Establishing and strictly abiding by new criteria for secretariat appointments to include professional
expertise, diversity of experience, demonstrable leadership in public institutions, and ability to tackle
challenging assignments;
g) Modifying Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) to include tangible, performance-oriented criteria
instead of subjective evaluations of officers characters;
Modernizing Civil Services:
Modernise civil service systems and processes and enhance inter-agency coordination through egovernance technology by:
a) Making compliance with standards set by the E-Government Directorate (EGD) mandatory for major
federal government projects;
b) Instituting compulsory training in basic information technology processes for all government
employees in BPS-5 and above; and
c) Giving the EGD greater financial and organizational autonomy by converting it from a cell to an
attached department of the ministry of information technology.
Conclusion:
Epoch of mismanagement, political manipulation and corruption have rendered Pakistans civil service
incapable of providing effective governance and basic public services. In public perceptions, the countrys
civil servants are widely seen as unresponsive and corrupt, and bureaucratic procedures awkward and
exploitative. Bureaucratic dysfunction and low capacity undermine governance, providing opportunities
to the military to disrupt the democratic transition and to extremists to destabilize the state. The civilian
government should prioritize reforms that transform this key institution into a leaner, more effective and
accountable body. General Pervez Musharrafs eight-year military rule left behind a demoralized and
inefficient bureaucracy that was used to ensure regime survival. There was a dramatic rise in military
encroachments as retired generals were appointed to key civil posts, such as the chairmanship of the
Federal Public Service Commission, the premier agency for recruitment and promotions. The military
regimes poorly conceived devolution of power led to further administrative confusion and the breakdown
of service delivery at the district level, the key administrative unit of governance. The decision to vest
revenue and law and order functions in nazims (mayors), elected in-directly and on a non-party basis,
led to greater collusion between unscrupulous district officials and corrupt police. The civil bureaucracys
ills, however, predate military rule. Archaic rules and procedures and a rigid hierarchical authority
structure have undermined its oversight of a public sector that has expanded considerably since the 1970s.
Low salaries, insecure tenure, and obsolete accountability mechanisms have spawned widespread
corruption and impunity. Recruitments, postings and promotions are increasingly made on the basis of
personal contacts and political affiliation, instead of on merit. The civil services falling standards impact

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mostly Pakistans poor, widening social and economic divisions between the privileged and
underprivileged. With citizens increasingly affected by conflict and militancy, including millions
displaced by fighting in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal
Areas (FATA), the governments ability to ensure law and order and provide services such as education
and health care will be vital to winning the hearts and minds of the public, and restoring links between the
citizen and the state. Bureaucratic procedures and practices, formal or informal, play a key role in public
perceptions of the governments functioning. The international community too can help improve
governance by supporting civil service reform, expanding training programs, and providing technological
support and expertise to modernize methods of administration. However, the U.S., EU and other donors
should refrain, absent political reform, from supporting bureaucracies such as the FATA secretariat, where
unchecked powers and the absence of financial oversight make corruption more likely. They must also
condition aid on measures to institute greater accountability and transparency. Indeed, with hundreds of
millions more dollars committed for Pakistans development, for example through the U.S. Enduring
Assistance and Cooperation Act 2009, comes increased risk of corruption and waste, particularly if the
money is directly channeled to inefficient and unaccountable institutions. If international development
funds yield few tangible results, under-mining local expectations, the hearts and minds of the Pakistani
public will likely be lost rather than won.