Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's recent remarks - that the current political system has collapsed and that politics is increasingly being pursued by a few families and elites - have evoked an intense debate on Pakistan's political and constitutional landscape. Simultaneously, a map proposing new provinces is also circulating, further fueling speculation that the country may be entering another phase of constitutional experimentation and administrative change.

Amid all this, another voice, that of Dr Ishrat Husain, declares that good governance is the basic issue. A prominent economist, academic and civil servant, Dr Hussain opines that institutional effectiveness, economic stability and public trust are the fundamental pillars of national security. From the aforementioned interconnected views and narratives, one reality that emerges is that Pakistan is facing an acute crisis of governance. Undoubtedly, this bitter reality is reflected in the title of the book Governing the Ungovernable, authored by Dr Husain.

These days, the word 'good governance' is being floated as a panacea for all ills. Undoubtedly, good governance is a prerequisite for the well-being of the public. But the fundamental question is not whether governance matters; it is: what do we actually mean by good governance?

During all these discussions, Shehzad Roy's satirical song, Laga Reh, flashed through my mind. Satirically, he narrates Pakistan's political history since independence. He reminds us that successive governments have kept promising change but have often been greasing their own palms and pursuing narrow self-interests........

© The Express Tribune