What Quaid Had in Mind about the Form of Govt. in Pakistan
By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
Westridge, Rawalpindi
If nothing else, the long marches by Imran and Dr Qadri have dawned the realization on all that not all is well with our rulers and the electoral system that elects them. Talks are also rife that apart from the electoral reforms the life of the assemblies should be curtailed to four years instead of the present five years.
In a TV talk show someone also mentioned about the presidential form of govt. which was perfunctorily dismissed and not discussed by the panelists. In this context please allow me to reveal to my countrymen something very, very important which the great Quaid had in his mind but somehow the interested and vested parties have kept it hidden from the eyes of the common man. Please see for yourself the manuscript of the great Quaid-i-Azam written in his own hand and note what he thought of the future constitution of Pakistan.
(For the ease of your reading I reproduce it here)
Future constitution of Pakistan
(1) Parliamentary form of Govt.
2. Presidential form of Govt.
(More suited for Pakistan)
Then he draws an arrow line from Parliamentary form of Govt. and adds:
Dangers of Parliamentary form of Govt .
It has worked satisfactorily so far in England nowhere else.
He then goes on to say :
“The state exists (as has been said by Aristotle) not for life only but for good life”
(and underlines “but for good life” twice.)
Is it not time for us to consider the adoption of the Presidential form of Govt. which the great Quaid considered more suitable for Pakistan and which would ensure ‘good life’ for all of us?
(Incidentally, the manuscript comprising of two pages is dated 10 th July 1947 and is available in the National Archives of Pakistan, Cabinet Division, Govt. of Pakistan, Islamabad .)
Back to Pakistanlink Homepage
