Abdul Ghani

The government has placed strong emphasis on enhancing accountability, transparency and integrity across public institutions as part of the Prime Minister’s Economic Governance Reforms (PM-EGR), aiming to strengthen public trust, curb misuse of authority and improve the overall quality of governance, according to an official document.

The reform framework identifies weak accountability mechanisms and limited transparency as key challenges undermining effective governance. To address these gaps, the government has introduced a set of measures focused on strengthening oversight, improving disclosure practices and reinforcing ethical standards across the public sector.

A central pillar of the reforms is the strengthening of audit and oversight institutions. The document highlights the need to enhance the capacity and independence of internal and external audit functions to ensure effective scrutiny of public spending. Improved audit processes are intended to identify inefficiencies, prevent misuse of public resources and promote compliance with established rules and regulations.

The reforms also emphasise strengthening internal control systems within government organisations. This includes clearer delegation of authority, well-defined accountability mechanisms and stronger internal checks to prevent irregularities. By reinforcing internal controls, the government aims to reduce opportunities for mismanagement and ensure that public resources are used in accordance with approved objectives.

Transparency is another core component of the reform agenda. The document underscores the importance of improving public access to information related to government decisions, spending and performance. Enhanced disclosure requirements and improved reporting standards are expected to increase openness and enable greater public scrutiny of government actions.

The reform framework also highlights the need to strengthen integrity systems across public institutions. This includes promoting ethical standards, enforcing codes of conduct and strengthening mechanisms to address misconduct. The government plans to reinforce compliance frameworks and promote a culture of integrity within the public sector.

In addition, the reforms aim to improve coordination among oversight bodies to avoid duplication and ensure more effective monitoring. Better alignment between audit institutions, regulatory bodies and enforcement agencies is expected to strengthen accountability and improve follow-up on audit findings.

According to the Finance Division, strengthening accountability and transparency is essential for restoring public confidence in state institutions and ensuring effective governance. By reinforcing oversight mechanisms and promoting ethical conduct, the reform agenda seeks to create a governance environment that supports integrity, efficiency and sustainable economic development.

The document concludes that sustained commitment to transparency and accountability will be critical to the long-term success of governance reforms in building a credible, trustworthy public sector.

Credit: INP-WealthPk