Bureaucratic Interference.

If it was not abundantly clear already, recent events in the political sphere indicate the constant attempts by political leaders to influence bureaucratic postings and procedures at whim. The case of the IG Punjab's resignation on Saturday and his reported comments to the Punjab CM after his decision to leave his post is quite revealing in this regard.

There is no denying the fact that provincial and central bureaucratic officials are often used beyond their mandated role to fulfil the requests put forth by political leaders. Working with the government of the time almost makes staying away from bureaucratic interference impossible since postings are handled by the administration of the time.

The IG's resignation is a reminder that recent political events have led to the meddling in bureaucratic affairs problematically reaching new heights. But this is by no means a new problem. All political parties have at one point or another highlighted this as a problem. PTI even has the de-politicisation of the provincial police force in its manifesto. Yet sadly, its actions in Punjab have only made things much worse.

There is a need for political...