18th amendment to the constitution of April 2010 transferred responsibility for local government from federal to provincial government. Under the 17th constitutional amendment local government had a three-tier structure, comprising district (zila), tehsil and union councils. At the expiry of this amendment local government was suspended and local elections postponed while the new dispensation was given effect by the provincial governments. In the meantime, district administrators were appointed. National development plan The Planning Commission launched the first long-range development plan, Vision 2030: Pakistan in the 21st Century, in August 2007, following an extensive stakeholder consultation process. This expresses the aspiration of the people for a ‘developed, industrialised, just and prosperous Pakistan through rapid and sustainable development in a resource-constrained economy by deploying knowledge inputs’. Concurrent medium-term plans set out strategies and priorities towards achievement of Vision 2030. The Planning Commission was in 2013 working on the Development Strategy 2013–18. Policy Among the most important objectives emphasised in successive plans are: • Using available resources in the most efficient and effective manner (‘more with less’) • Supporting the private sector • Modern transport networks • Universal primary and 70 per cent secondary school enrolment, with a marked improvement in quality of education • Gender equality and ensuring girls’ and women’s access to education, health and employment opportunities • Increasing investment in science and technology and improving quality in higher education to create a knowledge economy • Redirecting resources to accelerate growth in the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa; the Federally Administered Tribal Areas; and Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas P a k i s t a n Governance The Development Strategy 2013–18 gives priority to institutional and governance reforms that promote transparency and accountability in public life; involvement of citizens at all stages of planning, implementation and monitoring of development programmes; and social enterprises that are committed to human development, poverty alleviation and youth empowerment. Further information Government of Pakistan: www.pakistan.gov.pk Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Governance: www.commonwealthgovernance.org Governance institutions Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 237 Election Commission of Pakistan: www.ecp.gov.pk National Assembly of Pakistan: www.na.gov.pk Senate of Pakistan: www.senate.gov.pk Supreme Court of Pakistan: www.supremecourt.gov.pk Planning Commission: www.pc.gov.pk Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman): www.mohtasib.gov.pk Public Procurement Regulatory Authority: www.ppra.org.pk Cabinet Division: www.cabinet.gov.pk Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights: www.molaw.gov.pk Ministry of Finance: www.finance.gov.pk Ministry of Commerce and Textile Industry: www.commerce.gov.pk State Bank of Pakistan: www.sbp.org.pk Islamabad Stock Exchange: www.ise.com.pk Karachi Stock Exchange: www.kse.com.pk Lahore Stock Exchange: www.lse.com.pk Standards and Quality Control Authority: www.psqca.com.pk Securities and Exchange Commission: www.secp.gov.pk Telecommunication Authority: www.pta.gov.pk
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