The sinews of governance: Bureaucracy, narrative, and power under colonialism and independence

Abstract

The paper surveys the literature and writings on economic issues of the Pakistan area, with special reference to Punjab, produced by the state bureaucracy during the period of British colonial rule in this region. The paper then compares the volume and quality of this exegesis with that produced by the public service functionaries in Pakistan since 1947. The paper concludes that there is a significant shortfall in the performance of the latter, operating under supposed conditions of independence and sovereignty, when compared to their colonial counterparts. This discrepancy has serious implications for the quality of public management in Pakistan, raising questions about lack of vision, and even lack of proper information, for any contribution to national development.