Understanding the Causes of Variance in Provincial Response to COVID-19 in Pakistan by Using the Policy Capacity Framework

Abstract

This comparative research looked at the causes of the variance in provincial response to COVID-19 in Pakistan using the policy capacity framework. Pakistan decentralised its policymaking in 2010 and granted autonomy to its provinces to mitigate the crisis, control law and order, generate resources and reform their institutions. There were serious concerns that the small provinces lacking the required policy competencies will not be able to deal with a crisis such as COVID-19. Using process tracing and inductive mixed methods, this research finds that the relationship with the centre, effective networking with international agencies, non-state actors and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are the key factors that improved the policy competency of the small provinces, whereas the weak steering ability of the state machinery, complacent and negligent behaviour of the political and administrative institutions and tension with the centre adversely impacted the analytical, operational and political competencies of the two large provinces of Punjab and Sindh, resulting in the spread of COVID-19 cases in these provinces.