LAHORE: The federal government continues to perform poorly as far as transparency in its working is concerned as it has received 21% score in a scorecard for 2015-16 prepared by Pildat, an Islamabad-based think-tank.

The score for the parameter is one percent down even from 22% the government had got for the year 2014-15. The main reason being absence of a progressive Right to Information law, reveals the scorecard.

A draft right to information bill had been passed by the Senate Standing Committee on Information back in February 2014 and since then it is pending for want of cabinet’s approval to be tabled in the parliament.

Pildat says the objective behind preparing the scorecard for 25 parameters is to assess the quality of governance for highlighting key areas of strengths and potential areas requiring improvement in the quality of governance.


Pildat scorecard for 2015-16


The parameters included foreign policy management, autonomy of regulatory bodies, efficient & economic public procurement, immunization of children, disaster preparedness and management, healthcare, population control, environment sustainability, inflation control, unemployment management, investment friendliness, tax collection, farm development, national defence, peace, stability and order, and anti-corruption.

Below average performance was recorded in six parameters – use of technology for better governance, merit-based recruitment and promotions, education, poverty alleviation, water resources development and management, and transparency.

Overall the quality of federal governance scored 51% in 2015-2016, 7% up from 2015-15, with management of inflation getting the highest score of 87%.

Improvements in the management of monetary policy and the global fall in oil prices resulted in a low average rate of inflation of 2.8% in 2015-2016. The second highest score was observed in peace, stability and order (73%) owing to the decrease in the number of insurgents/terrorists’ hits and third highest to healthcare (68%) due to decreasing rates of infant and maternal mortality.

Improvements have also been recorded in rule of law, management of economy, social indicators, service delivery and administrative effectiveness.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.