Echoes of Presidential System

In Pakistan, the presidential system is the talk of the town these days. People are calling the presidential system the need of the hour. Trends and social media feeds are pro-presidential systems. They are considering the presidential system as a beacon of hope for suffering Pakistanis and blame the present system for their current plight. A perception is getting built that the parliamentary system is a threat to the well-being of citizens and the state. Chants for a new social contract are actually rising or hype is being created for personal benefit, God knows.

Since inception, we are not able to figure out the best structure for our beloved homeland. Pakistan has experienced a presidential system in the past for the first time under the leadership of Ayub Khan. He was promoting the concept of controlled democracy. Two efforts were made to turn the parliamentary system into the presidential system in Pakistan. One was by Zia-ul-Haq, who gave the president authority to dismiss the assembly. The second was by Musharraf, in 2002 with the 17th amendment. The current system is the democratic parliamentary system in Pakistan which is facing a lot of critics these days. Democracy is a system in which the origin of power is community.

While the parliamentary system is a system in which the executive and legislative are in a very intimate relationship with each other and the executive is responsible to the legislature for any conduct. Parliament is selected by citizens and has the supreme power. People consider themselves a victim of the current structure. Pakistan has experienced dictatorship, parliamentary and presidential systems as well. After 2008, democracy prevailed and in 2010 after the 18th amendment, the system changed from a semi-presidential system to complete parliamentary system. With the rising chants of the presidential system, there is a dire need for comparison between both systems and awareness about the perks and perils of both systems. In a presidential government, the president is powerful, influential, and is head of government as well as the head of state.

The main deficit in the presidential system in my opinion is the executive being not responsible to the legislative. Contrary to a parliamentary system, where the premiere is the head of government. Parliament is the executive and legislature as well. It is a more responsible form of government. President is nominal and has less influence. Perks of the presidential system are the separation of power which is beneficial in a presidential system. It is a stable form of government and there is less influence of the party system on this form of government.

President can choose people that fit the scenario best according to his intellect and it is not mandatory to be a part of the legislature. He is free to accept decisions and can implement decisions quickly. The structure is more powerful than agency and it does not allow politicians to put Pakistan on the road to prosperity is what we are listening to these days. I blame the agency for this outrageous plight of our country, not the system.

The parliamentary system can be a treat to watch if the constitution is held supreme and the executive and judiciary perform their functions up to the mark. We are optimistic about the presidential system but it can turn into a period that no one can question the absolute authority of the president like we have seen in the past. Prospects for the presidential system in the current era are negligible as a party in the limelight, PTI has not the numbers in the national assembly and also they are not in a position to hold elections and get elected again in the presidential form of government.

But, there is nothing that cannot happen in the political environment of Pakistan and we can see an unprecedented situation. So there is an increased need of improving the current system. According to GEG Catlin “All politics, is by its nature power politics”. Politics is a universal phenomenon of human life and the everlasting struggle of humans about who gets what, when, and how? The human fight will always continue to occur as human conflicts can never be resolved. The ambition of influencing others and manipulating others will never allow a utopian world full of ease and opportunity for all.