Retooling governance for improving public service delivery: Case study of right to public services commission, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract This study analyzes the public service delivery system in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan following the 2014 enactment of the “Right to Services Act.” It adopts a case study approach, primarily based on qualitative interviews and focus group discussions, to examine the lessons learned as part of this Act's aim to improve governance. The study finds that accountability is key for measuring the public delivery of services and that the Right to Public Services Act and its corresponding Commission take steps to ensure good governance and public service delivery in the province. Although, this law is still in its embryonic stage, it has already significantly improved the delivery of the targeted services, and it has activated a system of checks and balances in public sector departments to enhance their performance and accountability.