Inappropriate Model of Parliamentary Democracy

Since 1947, we are experiencing instability in the political system of Pakistan. From 1947 to 1958, seven prime ministers were changed. In 62 years we saw four martial laws. Most of the Presidents tried to acquire all powers in their hands and as a consequence parliaments, cabinets and prime ministers became puppets. Yousaf Raza Gilani is our 26th prime minister. From independence until now (2009) the office of prime minister existed for about 39 years only. It means average time for a prime minister in his office is about 18 months. History tells us that the choices Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah took, played an important role in the formation of this situation. He preferred to become governor-general of Pakistan, instead of being the prime minister. This weakened the office of prime minister and the parliament, and in turn encouraged civil and military bureaucracy to involve in politics. Martial laws and instable political governments were the consequence.

Two countries got independence in August 1947: Pakistan and India. The popular leader, Nehru, who won independence for India chose to be prime minister, while Mountbatten was made the governor-general. This was the true parliamentary model of democracy. It strengthened the parliament and the office of prime minister. What Quaid-e-Azam did was quite contrary to it. Instead of making an unimportant person the governor-general, he himself chose to take this office. Quaid was the most popular, influential and strong political figure. His stature overshadowed parliament and the prime minister. More over Quaid was the head of the ruling party Muslim League. He was the symbol of the power of people. It resulted in weakening the confidence and supremacy of the parliament and the prime minister. Thus the office of governor-general became source of great political power.
Quad did not confine to his constitutional role as titular head. He started to interfere in the affairs of political government. History tells us that the relations between the Quaid and the prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan were strained. This is not possible until a titular head like Quaid-e-Azam starts using his political grandeur to disturb government. In these circumstances an elected prime minister could only long to get rid of such a situation, so that he could exercise his powers according to the constitution and the traditions of parliamentary democracy. This is exactly what Liaquat Ali wished, as told by Miss Fatima Jinnah in the biography of Quaid “My Brother”. Miss Jinnah writes:

"Towards the end of July, without prior notice, Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan, the pime minister, arrived in Ziarat accompanied by Chaudari Mohd. Ali. He asked Dr. Illahi about his diagnosis of Quaid’s health. The doctor said that as he had been invited by me (Fatima) to attend to the Quaid, he could only say what he thought of his patient to me. “But, as Prime minister, I am anxious to know about it”. The doctor politely replied, “yes, Sir, but I cannot do it without the patient’s permission”.
As soon as I was told, as I was sitting with Quaid, that the Prime Minister and the Secretary General wanted to see him, I informed him (Quaid). He smiled and said, “Fati, do you know why he has come?” I said I wouldn’t be able to guess the reason. He said, “He wants to know how serious my sickness is. How long will I last”?

What was the correct approach? Either Quaid should chose to be the prime minister, or if he had chosen to be the governor-general, he should not have interfered in the government. He should have confined his role similar to that of the Monarch of United Kingdom.
Due to this mistake of Quaid, governor-general became a powerful office. All the conspiracies to curb democratic process were brought about by the governor-generals later. When Pakistan became a republic after the first constitution was made, same role was adopted by the presidents, as president is counter part of governor- general in a republic. These governor-generals and presidents always conspired with civil and military bureaucracy to control the prime ministers and parliaments. Thus the passage of martial laws was paved. This is what Iskandar Mirza did, repeated by General Zia in the case of Prime Minister Junejo, repeated by Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Farooq Laghari in the case of prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, repeated by General Musharraf in the case of Prime ministers Jamali and Shaukat Aziz, and recently repeated by Asif Zardari in the case of Prime Minister Gilani. All these people assume the power to dissolve National Assembly and thus the prime ministers and the parliaments become puppets. This is Jinnah-Liaquat model of democracy, which is in fact sham democracy. Only Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto introduced the correct model of parliamentary democracy. Bhutto, the popular leader, chose to be the prime minister instead of president. This choice strengthened the parliament and the office of prime minister. Bhutto-Fazal Elahi model is the proper model of parliamentary democracy. We must get rid of Quaid’s legacy, if we want stable political system according to the norms of parliamentary form of government.