The Development Insights Lab (DIL) at the University of Peshawar, in collaboration with the Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) and the Department of Economics, organized an academic seminar titled “Why Public Policies Fail in Pakistan Despite Good Intentions” on 17 February 2026 at the Department of Economics, University of Peshawar.
The seminar brought together faculty members, researchers, students, policy practitioners, and media representatives to critically examine the institutional and governance challenges that often prevent well-intentioned public policies in Pakistan from achieving their desired outcomes.
Purpose of the Seminar
Public policies play a central role in shaping economic development, governance, and social welfare. However, in many developing countries, including Pakistan, policies that are formulated with positive intentions often fail during the implementation stage due to structural and institutional weaknesses.
The seminar aimed to stimulate an informed discussion on the underlying causes of policy failure and to explore ways to improve policy design, implementation, and accountability.
The event also sought to strengthen collaboration between academia, policymakers, and civil society in promoting evidence-based policymaking and institutional reform.
Opening Session
The seminar commenced with opening remarks by Dr. Fahim Nawaz, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics, who welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of critically evaluating public policies. He emphasized that understanding the reasons behind policy failures is essential for improving governance and development outcomes in Pakistan.
Key Presentations
The keynote presentations were delivered by Dr. Sajjad Ahmad Jan, Chairman of the Department of Economics and Coordinator of the Development Insights Lab, and Dr. Raza Rahman Khan Qazi, Senior Research Fellow at DIL.
Institutional Challenges in Public Policy
Dr. Sajjad Ahmad Jan discussed the central role of institutions in economic development and policy success. He explained that policies often fail not because of poor intentions but due to weak institutional structures, limited administrative capacity, and inadequate monitoring mechanisms.
Drawing on international comparisons, he highlighted how countries such as South Korea and Singapore strengthened institutions, ensured merit-based bureaucracies, and invested in education and governance reforms, enabling them to achieve sustained economic growth. In contrast, institutional weaknesses in Pakistan—such as inconsistent policy implementation, weak accountability, and bureaucratic inefficiencies—have frequently undermined development initiatives.
Political Economy of Policy Failure
Dr. Raza Rahman Khan Qazi examined the political economy dimensions of policymaking. He argued that the concept of “good intentions” in public policy is often subjective and shaped by political power dynamics. Policies may be formulated in the name of public welfare but are frequently influenced by the pursuit of political power and competing interests.
He further highlighted how inconsistent policy directions across successive governments, limited strategic vision, and inadequate understanding of policy design and implementation have contributed to policy failures in Pakistan.
Interactive Discussion
Following the presentations, an interactive discussion session allowed participants to engage with the speakers. Faculty members and students raised questions about governance reforms, institutional capacity, and the role of research in improving policymaking.
The exchange of ideas highlighted the importance of strengthening collaboration between academic institutions and policymakers to ensure that policies are grounded in reliable research and empirical evidence.
Key Insights from the Seminar
Several important insights emerged from the discussions:
- Weak institutional capacity remains a major cause of policy implementation failures.
- Lack of coordination among government institutions often undermines policy effectiveness.
- Political interference and policy discontinuity create uncertainty in development planning.
- Evidence-based policymaking is essential for designing effective and sustainable policies.
- Citizen participation and accountability mechanisms are crucial for strengthening governance.
Way Forward
The seminar concluded with recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness of public policies in Pakistan. These included strengthening institutional capacity, promoting data-driven policymaking, improving coordination among government agencies, and encouraging stakeholder participation in policy design and implementation.
Participants emphasized that academic institutions such as the Development Insights Lab can play an important role in bridging the gap between research and policymaking by providing analytical insights, policy dialogue platforms, and capacity-building initiatives.
Conclusion
The seminar successfully created a platform for meaningful dialogue on governance challenges and public policy effectiveness in Pakistan. It reinforced the importance of strong institutions, evidence-based policymaking, and collaborative engagement between academia, policymakers, and civil society in addressing the development challenges facing the country.
Through initiatives such as this seminar, the Development Insights Lab continues to contribute to informed policy debate and the promotion of better governance and development outcomes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and beyond.