CSS Forums - View Single Post - An Ideal system of Governance in Pakistan; my view

rose_pak · #3 Monday, February 27, 2012

Dear Rattle,

thanks for your response.

I do understand the heterogeneity of our country. I am not for a total presidential system. what i propose is an addition to the existing system. All legislators would be elected as per the standard procedure but would be doing only legislative work. the executive functions - ministries - would be given to technocrats, most similar to the united states in only this respect.

currently our legislators are playing three broad functions - EXECUTIVE: running the ministry as a minister. LOCAL GOVERNMENT: overseeing infrastructural and developmental work in his constituency, off course apart from trying to secure more job quotas. LEGISLATION: after doing above mentioned two works, they get very minute time, and interest, to do legislation, which is their primary function.

As for as accountability is concerned, I have already mentioned that the technocrat ministers would have to be cleared by the election commission as the legislators do. the only difference is they will not be elected. after being elected, the ministers would be accountable to the directly elected president and the president would be accountable to the parliament.

All this would ensure separation of power - president as executive and parliament as legislature - greater accountability - independent election commission, president answerable to the parliament - and erosion of lure of power - legislature who would be directly elected would have only legislative powers and minister would have only executive powers - and due representation - legislators would be directly elected as per standard procedure.

the bottom line is we need to have a system in place which ensures not only representation but also competency. the current system can have the former but can't have the latter.