EFFECTIVE governance depends not only on a country’s natural resources and financial strength but also on the competence, integrity, transparency, and experience of those responsible for managing public affairs. The formation of an eleven-member Technocratic Advisory Council in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has brought renewed attention to the potential role of professional expertise in provincial administration.

According to media reports, the council was established to assist the Governor in managing provincial affairs within the prevailing administrative context. Its members bring experience in finance, education, healthcare, energy, law, information, industry, security, religious affairs, minerals, and infrastructure. This arrangement raises an important question: can assigning responsibilities to experienced professionals improve public services and administrative performance?

Switzerland offers a useful comparative example. Its seven-member Federal Council collectively manages the federal executive, with each member........

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