Editorial
The governance model of the Pakistan Muslim League–N (PML-N) has increasingly come to rely on the bureaucracy rather than on democratic governance and political leadership. Instead of empowering elected representatives to make decisions and remain accountable to the public, authority in Punjab appears to be concentrated in the hands of senior civil servants. This approach may offer administrative control, but it comes at the cost of political ownership and public trust.
Within the party itself, dissatisfaction is growing. Many PML-N legislators privately — and sometimes openly — express serious reservations about how the Punjab government is being run. Their complaints are not merely about personal influence or access, but about a broader sense of political irrelevance. When decisions are made in offices rather than assemblies, elected representatives are reduced to spectators in a system they were elected to lead.
This bureaucratic dominance has had political consequences. The PML-N’s popularity in Punjab, traditionally its strongest base, remains weaker than expected. Voters do not connect with faceless administration; they respond to visible political leadership that listens, engages, and takes responsibility. A governance model that sidelines politicians inevitably weakens the party’s grassroots connection and blurs its political identity.
The perception that Punjab is effectively being run by the chief secretary rather than by an elected political leadership has only reinforced this disconnect. While bureaucrats play a vital role in implementation and continuity, they are not a substitute for democratic decision-making. Sustainable governance requires politicians to lead and bureaucrats to support — not the other way around.
If the PML-N wishes to regain political momentum in Punjab, it must recalibrate its approach. Restoring the primacy of political leadership, strengthening democratic governance, and trusting its own elected representatives are essential steps. Without this shift, administrative efficiency may continue, but political legitimacy will remain fragile.
