Incredible “Jhang Model” of Good Governance
By Farid Masood • Jul 11th, 2008 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look • 22 CommentsCustomer satisfaction feedback is the backbone of the policies enforced. This feedback, sometimes, force the policy makers to review the flaws in policy-making and its implementation.
If this concept is implemented in government functions, it may become an element to introduce good governance in daily administrative affairs of government. Mr Zubair K Bhatti, District Coordination Officer, Jhang District has implemented this concept in his district.
This mid-career bureaucrat has done wonders in a Punjab district by remarkably reducing corruption in the otherwise most corrupt revenue department’s registry offices, amongst the Patwaris, in the government hospitals etc., by simply asking the concerned officials to submit daily the list of all property transactions registered with mobile numbers of both sellers and buyers, the total amount of taxes due and other basic details of transactions.
Similar orders were given to Patwaris in cases where ‘fard’ were given. The clerks of the revenue department were told that the officer would personally call all these citizens on their mobile phone to find out if they were asked to pay any bribe or commission above and beyond the taxes due, if any. He did the same and within a few weeks’ time, things changed miraculously as far as getting of a ‘fard’ or ‘intiqal’ done and the registration of property was concerned.
Mr Bhatti talks to different buyers of the property or those getting ‘fard’ or ‘intiqal’ in the district or those treated/ operated in the government hospital or those getting domicile/ birth/death certificates etc on their mobile numbers to know if they had paid only the taxes due or were also forced to grease the right palms. He also presented to the chief minister voluminous record of different district departments along with the mobile numbers of citizens who had interacted with any official agency, with an offer to contact the ordinary souls on any of the given mobile numbers to see a change in service delivery in the Jhang district.
The threat of personal and intimate feedback communicated directly to the DCO and the possibility of anti- corruption action had a massively deterrent effect, the DCO said, adding that when he made calls and asked about the quality of service, he generally found out that petty hassles had mostly been eliminated.
Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif (after taking a presentation from the talented officer) on Tuesday ordered immediate implementation of the incredible ‘Jhang model’ of administration in all the districts of the province to reduce corruption and improve service delivery, through citizens’ feedback, in the otherwise inefficient and corrupt departments of revenue, police, health and others.
Jhang Zubair K Bhatti has forwarded his resignation from the government service citing personal reasons. Sources close to the officer, however, say that inadequate compensation package is the reason for the officer’s decision to quit the government job and join the private sector.
Shahbaz Sharif, who is an exception amongst the country’s top politicians for his faith in good governance and the rule of law, tried to persuade the officer to review his decision to leave the government job and also offered him special pay package but Bhatti said that he had given his word to a private organization that he would be joining soon.
The chief minister in his order said that not only the Zubair Bhatti model would be implemented in all the districts of the province but would also be expanded. The officer, in his presentation, had proposed the following steps to be taken to scale up and institutionalize this feedback to tackle petty corruption.
1. Identification of interactions: All interactions at field level by various departments need to be identified that could be amenable to such feedback.
2. The following are some possibilities. Departments should be asked to come up with such interactions with officials.
DCO Office
i. Getting a domicile
ii. Getting arms licence
iii. Getting NOC for petrol pumps
Police
i. Registering an FIR
ii. Follow-up on investigation and submission of challans
iii. Getting a driving license
iv. Getting NOC for various security purposes
v. Payment of tickets for traffic fines
Health
i. Getting a medico-legal certificate
ii. Getting an operation done in DHQ, THQ and most importantly an RHC: Have doctors charged for services? Have they promoted their private practice?
iii. Charge of purchee fee: Have excess funds been charged?
iv. All recruitments: Have any funds, small or large, changed hands
Revenue Department
i. Both parties to a revenue case: Has the reader been charging? Is the copying clerk doing his work properly? Has the presiding officer been directly getting the money? Has the lawyer spoken to the plaintiff or the defendant that the presiding officer has to be paid?
ii. Getting a ‘fard’
iii. Getting an ‘intiqal’ done
iv. Registering a property
Live Stock Department
i. Has the doctor or the dispenser charged extra for the service or the medicines?
Excise and Taxation Department
i. Registration of vehicles
ii. Assessment and payment of property taxes
Education Department
i. All transfers and postings
ii. All recruitments
Local Government
i. Registering births, deaths, and nikah.
He also suggested development of reporting formats for each interaction: for example, the reporting format for registration of property should include name, date, property, estimated value, total taxes needed to be paid, the name and cell number of buyer (or any immediate relative who conducted the process of registration); for medico-legal cases, the name of the person, NIC, cell number of the person or a near relative involved in the process of getting a medico-legal done, nature of injury, police station, medical establishment (RHC, THQ, or DHQ) be recorded.
The presentation also sought entry of data submitted everyday in a database, preparation of relevant monitoring reports, monitoring at provincial level, taking action against corrupt elements with clear identification of corruption and corrupt persons.
To begin with, officials of lower grade and officers of grade-17 or 16 responsible for field formations should be the main target of such disciplinary actions. Performance of DCOs and EDOs would also be monitored with reference to reduction in incidents of corruption in their areas of jurisdiction.
This effort may help us in reducing corrupt setups and this model may be allied in other functions of government like passport department, market committees, sale & purchase of commodities & crops etc.
In addition to officer’s suggestions for excise department, affect of this model must be increased to exports also.
General public’s participation for improving this model may also help to increase the performance of governmental systems.
News source: The News
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Where is this place jhang?
Zubair Bhatti and his model! See, we are getting there! I am all excited! This is just great example for us.
I wish Zubair Bhatti could be pursuaded to stay in Public Service even if he is to be borrowed / rented from his new employers . I am sure they will be prepared to be part of this success story.
Jhang is a district on the road from Sargodha to Multan. This place is famous for a love story of Heer and Ranjha, Heer’s grave is located in Jhang
Very nice indeed. I have also heard his name and about his dedicated work for the District. Jhang is the one of the poor district of Punjab. In other sense, Jhang has lowest literacy rate in Punjab too. Jhang was hub of Sectarian violence. Lashkare Jhangvi is one example.
I still remember that when Daweoo started its bus service from Sargodha to Multan. It has to pass through Jhang. Jhang people stopped these buses because these buses have one hostess who serves drinks and meal to customers. So Jhang people were against it. Anyhow with dialogues, they allowed it later on.
May these kind of people get elected in our political system so can serve people of its region without any hurdle.
Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has ordered Wasa officials to formulate a comprehensive strategy to immediately drain rainwater from the low-lying areas of the city and to put their affairs in order.
Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif issued these orders on Friday while visiting the Davis Road, the Empress Road, railway station, Do Moryia Bridge, the Aziz Road, Misri Shah, Chowk Nakhuda, Garhi Shahu and the Edgerton Road.
Talking to the journalists on the occasion, the CM alleged that the previous political government did not pay any attention to repair, construction and improvement of the sewerage and drainage system of the city, which had adversely affected the whole city in general and the North Lahore in particular.
“The coalition government of the PPP and the PML-N are answerable of its deeds to the masses and it will improve the sewerage and drainage system of the city,” he said, adding that if the government did not focus on the provision of basic amenities to people, they would not tolerate them for a long time. He said they would have to improve the system before people started thinking of getting rid of them.
Earlier, Shahbaz Sharif reached Do Moriya Bridge along with his advisor Pervaiz Rasheed in heavy rain where road was flooded with knee-high rainwater. He himself waded the flooded streets and also called for the MD Wasa. He also inquired from people as why several feet water was gathered there and he was told that it was due to obsolete sewerage system and the absence of drains.
The CM, after wading through the several feet rainwater, reached Misri Shah and inquired from the locals the causes of accumulated rainwater, who reminded him that he had visited this area nine years back under the similar scenario and improved the sanitation conditions. They expressed hope that the situation would again be improved after his visit.
When Shahbaz reached Chowk Nakhuda along with former Deputy Mayor Asghar Butt, he found the area flooded with rainwater as well. Meanwhile, DG LDA, MD Wasa, MNA and DMD Wasa Bilal Yaseen and Khawaja Hassan and the DCO Lahore also reached the area.
Shahbaz reprimanded the Wasa officials and told them that the rain had exposed their performance and efficiency. He lashed out at them, saying he neither saw any Wasa official nor any water sucking machine from the Davis Road to Chowk Nakhuda. He asked the Wasa officials as what measures they had adopted since the last three months amidst confirmed reports that there would be heavy rains in July and August.
The residents of the area told the CM that there used to be heavy rains during the previous regimes but neither the district nazim nor the CM ever visited them.
A special team of the CM Secretariat told Shahbaz that rainwater had gathered in the areas of Shadbagh, Shama, Munshi Bagh Ladha and Chauburgy. They further told him that disposal pumps in some areas were not in order while in others there was no diesel available for generators. The CM also directed the authorities concerned to maintain the traffic system of the city.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday the government would introduce a new public transport system in 10 major cities of the province, besides providing free pick and drop facility to schoolchildren in remote areas.
Talking to reporters at a luncheon hosted by him in the honour of prominent journalists at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, he said water coolers had been installed at all tehsil headquarter hospitals in the province, while air conditioners would also be installed at all teaching hospitals of Punjab by the end of July. He said boards of directors of all autonomous hospitals would be reconstituted by appointing public-spirited people.
About the Food Stamp Scheme, the CM said it was an attempt to provide subsidy to the poor on flour, ghee and pulses. He said a sum of Rs 22 billion had been allocated for this purpose. He said 1.8 to 2 million poor families would be given a relief of Rs 1,000 per month under the scheme.
“Curbing of extremism is essential for peace as well as investment and other business activities. However, this target cannot be achieved through force,” he added.
He said the budget of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat had been reduced from Rs 350 million to Rs 70 million. He said 800 cars including five bullet-proof vehicles were being auctioned and a sum of Rs 16 million had been recovered so far. He said the entire amount would be spent on development projects.
Shahbaz said in addition to providing basic facilities in 60,000 schools of the province, computers would also be provided. He said the self-finance scheme had been abolished in all professional institutions to encourage talented students.
“The self-finance scheme was aimed at depriving talented students of the poor families from getting higher education,” he added.
Salma, is the CM inspired by “Incredible “Jhang Model” of Good Governance” or he found that this guy Zubair Bhatti was encroaching upon the Chief Ministers sole right to good governance and caused Bahhti’s departure? Since you seem to have so much info and interest in your CM, you might like to comment here on my apprehensions.
Allah Shahbaz Sharif ko Zindagi or kamyabi day.
Begum Sahiba, do you know anything about this Bhatti Sahib? Why in your opinion he has decided to quit such a wonderful project that he started which seems to be working?
Janab Aftab Sahab, I am a widow with 5 kids. My husbands was martyred in Kargil. I went to the open Kechari of Shahbaz Sharif Sahab in Model Town last week. My kins snatched the land of my husband in Jhang from me after his martyrdom, and now Shahbaz has recovered it from them for me.
Oh, I am sorry to hear this. I salute your Shaheed husband and am grateful to you and your family for this great sacrifice, may Allah compensate your loss in His own kind way.
What Shahbaz Sharif did for you is great service. Jazaak Allah!
Respects.
Aftab bhai,
Mr bhatti not quited job due to present government. he gave resign even before Feb elections but government procedures made it late. He has done all the best for Jhang but he was unable to manage his budget with Halal income of DCO. i.e. 24,000 approx. So he decided to move in Private sector. This is a big fate of our country that most of dedicated people opts to join private sector because only private sector can give them reasonable salary. Where as government officers relies on corruption for maintaining status. How a man like Bhatti can survive in such culture with low salary? There are lot of other examples too. My father got retired at a post of Finance joint secretary in Islamabad but he took loan from Government to marry my elder sister. My bros are still standing in lines for jobs. He not used reference for them. So good people are there in Pakistan and this is a reason for Pakistan’s survival.
Masha’Allah! It gives great pleasure to know that people like Mr. Zubair Bhatti exist. I sincerely hope that the Punjab government will try to bring him back. CM Shahbaz Sharif should also be commended for his efforts.
Mrs. Salma, if there was a way for us Pakistanis to help your husband, I would do what I can. We need to support the likes of Zubair Bhatti.
Thank you very much Dr Alshaer for your offerings and support. I am not here to collect sympathies.my purpose was to tell readers that we can survive even without corruption and haram money. may be people dont have faith but I have faith on one word “BARKAT”. I often observes people that they have high haram earnings but BARKAT is not there. Like, they are trapped with life risk disease, their child is handy capped, they have issues like extra marital affairs of wife and lot more.
Alllah ka shukar hai hum log kum kamatay hain laikin BARKAT ki wajha say yeh bhee bohot ho jata hai. Hamarah bachay Pizza hut per to nahi jatay magar Class main First aatay hain. Hamari zingadi ka maqsad hai aur Allah karay hum apnay maqsad main kamyab hoon.
Salma, Betajee! you can say this all one more time and say it loud. Who says Pakistan has only corrupt and thugs. Pakistan has great Pakistanis like you and I am so happy to know you and proud, too. Salma, your parents are blessed to have a wonderful daughter like you. Allah aap ki niyat ka ajr de aur aap ke har kaam main khas Barkat ataa farma_ae
My best wishes and blessings.
Where r u Mr. Zubair now a days?
all ur works r appriciating, u r best in governes, i wish, may u come back in got chage of jhang.
AoA, Any body knows informative books about jhang.
Mashallah, very productive thoughts I really like the way people in this blog are communicating. This is very nice and gentle. Story of Abida Begum and comments of Mr. Aftab are really thought provoking. May Allah give strength to this daughter of the nation for having such a remarkable strength at present times.
Certainly there is a lot required to do. But we must remember one thing, simplicity is the best policy. Let us keep ourselves simple and down to earth this will solve lots of issues. And not only we ourselves practice this but this message should be conveyed to other less aware people who are convinced or influenced whatever they see on TV or see luxury cars moving around with gunmen and lavish lifestyles of landlords (Jagirdar).
Once people understand the true picture of spending their lives in simple ways lots of issues will be resolved. Do not take bank loans on interest, do not take credit cards, do not purchase house from interest based bank loan. Today the problem in the world’s economy is only due to this interest and lavish lifestyle.
May Allah keep us all on right path and away from evil things.
My sincere respect to all.
[...] Officer (DCO) in the District Government, Jhang, Punjab Province. His work as DCO, especially his “incredible model of governance”, that was later picked up by the Punjab Government. Bhatti has also been with the Finance [...]