PUBLIC POLICY FORMULATION IN PAKISTAN: AN ANALYSIS OF PRE-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD

The period of the British Raj in India is bridging over three centuries. The British’s initial interaction with India was indirect in search of trading comforts in Asia as ferocious competition with Portuguese and Dutch. Comparatively, the British were latecomers towards colonization in these new rich projects but they were fully aware that they would be involving in a long-term and very lucrative relationship that would ultimately be, “Premier Jewel in their Crown”. The British-India’s initial phase of the relationship was purely financial and commercial based which passed through an idealist paradigm to gain power. Two undeniable befits were provided to the British by India were, India was an enslaved market for goods of the British and by holding a big size army it could serve their defense requirements also. Basically, British policy was based on expansion, and they wanted to overcome the Indians for their personal gains. Resultantly, the British faced a revengeful mutiny period, post1857, by the determined natives to maintain the dignity of the Mughal’s Kingdom. A reviewing study of the public policy formulation during the  British Raj in India was initiated which explored the major happenings of that era. The purpose of the study is to learn the history of public policy formulation during British Raj. The findings indicate that the planning and policy formation of the British era was mainly based on the theme to prolong their governance in India as India was a vast market to sell their goods and they could get manpower at low rates from there. This paper recommends that through formulation and implementation of sound, optimistic and credible policies, the country can gain the desired level of nation-building and development.