Governing The Ungovernable
Governing The Ungovernable
The book commences with a candid examination of the historical legacy that
has contributed to the governance issues in Pakistan, addressing deep-
seated problems such as corruption, inefficiency, and political interference.
Husain provides a critical appraisal of the existing governance structures and
practices, laying the foundation for a robust discussion on the need for
transformative reforms.
A central theme of the book revolves around the imperative to shift from a
patronage-based governance model to a meritocratic and transparent
system. Husain advocates for the depoliticization of institutions, emphasizing
the crucial role of professionalism in fostering efficiency, accountability, and
integrity within government bodies.
1) Introduction:
Governing the Ungovernable is a masterpiece written by Dr.
Ishrat Hussain. The book gives insights about the overall
governance structure of Pakistan by comparing the
contemporary governance structure to that of last century’s.
Author gives empirical data to support his arguments when
he tries to bust some popular myths including the popular
notion of military regimes have received more foreign aid
then their civilian counterparts. Overall, this book focuses on
the factors that have been instrumental in crippling the
economy, social fabric and international prestige of the state
of Pakistan in post 9/11 era. All in all, this book is a must
read for many linked to the academia, civil society and, of
course, the policymakers of Pakistan. In this book summary, I
will give some striking quotations from the book, its main
theme along with its justification for how this book actually
makes sense and lastly will enlist the myths debunked by this
book.
4- Conclusion
The book is an eyeopener for the many who just believe in
the popular misconceptions or even propagate those notions.
It’s is a must read for those in charge of bureaucratic
responsibilities as it not only gives insights about the past
but also explains and illustrates with empirical data, the ills
in the governance system. Therefore, the book will be of
much help for academia also to initiate a comprehensive
debate on how to avert this mother of other crises.