Why did Jinnah advocate a Presidential Democracy?

Byline: Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman

Our Prime Minister needs to consider and act upon the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnahwho had realized very early on that the Parliamentary system of democracy will fail in Pakistan. Our Quaid foresaw that the feudal strangleholdof corrupt and powerful landlords will result in the hijacking of the Parliament and the government to achiever their own evil designs. Jinnah had repeatedly warnedabout the evils of the feudal system in his various speeches. In one speech he stated, and I quote 'I should like to give a warning to the landlords and capitalists who have flourished at our expense by a system which is so vicious, which is so wicked and which makes them so selfish that it is difficult to reason with them. The exploitation of the masses has gone into their blood. They have forgotten the lessons of Islam' Unquote.(Address, All India Muslim League Session, Delhi, 24 April 1943). He knew that the only way to address this evil force was through education, so that the masses will not be brow beaten by these forces, and will develop the courage to stand against them. This was essential for a genuine democracy to succeed.

Jinnah deliberated about the best system of democracy for Pakistan. After much thought he concluded that the Presidential system of democracy wasbest suited Pakistan. In a historical observation that many are unaware of ,he wrote a note in his own handwriting, and I quote: 'The Future Constitution of Pakistan' '1. The Parliamentary form of government: it has worked satisfactorily in England and nowhere else-and 2. Presidential form of government (more suited for Pakistan' Unquote. This note is available in File 42 of 1947 in the the Jinnah Papers in Islamabad and a copy of it was given President Ziaul to Mr. SharifuddinPirzada.

The notewas then reproduced in the book entitled The Jinnah Anthology of Oxford University Press, page 81, edited by Liaquat H. Merchant and SharifulMujahid(3rd edition published in 2010). In thechapter entitled 'Constitutional Set-up of Pakistan as visualised by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah' by SharifuddinPirzadain this book he states: 'The note was jotted down by Mr. Jinnah on or about 16th July 1947. The note clearly states that in the future constitution of Pakistan regarding form of government there would be Presidential form of government. It was not specified which Presidential form. However in the manner in which the government functioned from 15th...