IN the heart of Vienna lies a flourishing Pakistani restaurant that caters to thousands of tourists and locals. The owner has credited much of the restaurant’s success to an enabling business environment. For instance, while his restaurant is regularly and rigorously inspected by government officials, there is no expectation of or demand for bribes. One wonders what motivates Austrian government functionaries to do their job effectively and honestly. Is there a lesson we could learn from international best practices?
An Institutional Reforms Cell (2018-2021) with Dr Ishrat Husain at its helm examined this question. It noted that, besides law and order, the essential role of any government is to create an enabling environment for commerce and industry. This requires an efficient civil service, physical infrastructure and rule of law. The IRC observed that in Pakistan’s case, the government is “weak and expansive”, cumbersome, centralised and inefficient.