What government and voting system reforms are needed to strengthen and improve Pakistan's democracy?

[hussain.r97]

Do you think Pakistan's government and voting system needs a serious overhaul? Do you prefer a Presidential system, or the current parliamentary system? And how do you think elections should be conducted?

Discuss.

 

[hussain.r97]

I personally think that the current Westminster style of government is not suitable for a country like Pakistan, and I also think the voting system needs a serious overhaul.

For starters, I think the chief executive of Pakistan should be the President, not the PM. Pakistan needs a system where things are done swiftly, and a Presidential system gives that. With a presidential system, things won't need to go through the long processes of parliament, nor will the government be held hostage by smaller parties like the MQM.

Parliament should still exist, and should also be a house of legislation. The supreme court and parliament can both act as checks and balances for the President's power. Things like constitutional amendments should still be required to go through parliament, but executive orders can be used to create new laws.

Power should remain with provinces, but instead of the CM, the governor of each province should be the chief executive.

Development work should be carried out by mayors and local governments/councils as proposed by PTI, the parliament should strictly only be for lawmaking. Since parliament will only be for lawmaking, the minimum criteria for the Senate should be a masters degree, while the minimum criteria for the National Assembly should be a bachelors degree.

When it comes to the voting system, President and parliament should both be directly elected. I am in favour of a two-round voting system (French) for presidency, a province based MMP system (Germany/New Zealand) for National and Provincial assemblies, and a ranked voting system for the Senate. All of these will eliminate horse trading, and will encourage ideological voting. All votes should go through biometric verification.

I also believe that more power should go to the people, and the democratic process should be a lot stronger. US style primaries are a good idea, and all parties should constitutionally be required to be part of a primary process conducted by the government. All MNA, MPA, Senate, Presidency, and Governorship must be elected through a primary election.

I strongly believe that the above systematic changes would definitely result in the current ruling elite to lose their hold on power, a stronger government, and also a more strong and fair democracy.

 

[Savak]

Pakistan needs more provinces. Will make for more devolution of power and easier to administer and hold people accountable. Mayors in cities need to be given powers.

But ultimately any system can fail if people succumb to bribes.

 

[hussain.r97]

Pakistan needs more provinces. Will make for more devolution of power and easier to administer and hold people accountable. Mayors in cities need to be given powers.

But ultimately any system can fail if people succumb to bribes.

Definitely agree with this. I think Pakistan needs to rethink it's power structure:

1.) President - Has executive power over federal issues such as governance, electricity, water, foreign policy, laws, security, defense etc.
2.) Province governor - Has executive power over provincial issues like health, education, sports, etc.
3.) Nazim/Mayor - Has executive power over development of their district, waste collection, cleanliness, roads, etc.

 

[DrSchultz]

How about instead of a lame duck President, we have a guardian council of the sorts Iran has which will choose an Ayatullah type figure from among its members to serve as head of state.

The council will have eminent personalities - ex judges, generals, civil servants.

You can be nominated to be a member of the council if you have served your country for 25 years, or been a member of senate for 10 years.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.dawn.com/news/1667226/changes-in-sindhs-lg-law-danger-to-pakistan-says-asad-umar

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday termed the recent amendments to the Sindh local government law "a danger to Pakistan", saying it divested the public representatives at the grassroots level of powers and autonomy.

The amended local government bill was passed by the Sindh Assembly on Nov 26, 2021 amid strong protest and boycott of the proceedings by the opposition parties, who objected to what termed the curtailment of powers of elected representatives under the new legislation.

The opposition parties — mainly Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pak Sarzameen Party and Grand Democratic Alliance — in the province have been staging protests and clamouring to repeal the amendments.

PSP chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal, whose party has no representation in the assembly, had also announced launching what he called a decisive movement from Jan 2 against the LG law.

In his presser in Karachi today, Umar said Pakistan would continue to be embroiled in "tension" until provinces, Sindh in particular, fairly devolved powers at the grassroots level. "The devolution of power to the local level is quite necessary for democracy and governance in the country."

The minister said an each province comprised people from different ethnic backgrounds and "for that reason, the entire country should not be run from Islamabad, as we need to empower the lower segment," he added.

Umar said the government would keep raising its voice in the parliament and continue the legal battles until the "unreasonable" amendments to the local government law in Sindh were revoked.

The local government bill has already become a law despite the fact that the governor had refused to sign off on it.

As per constitutional requirement, the bill was sent to Sindh Governor Imran Ismail for his assent. However, he returned the legislation, with around 10 objections to the assembly for reconsideration.

On Dec 11, the ruling party had addressed some of the objections raised by the governor, including removing a clause that allowed election of mayor/chairman through secret ballot and reviving a condition that only an elected LG representative can contest the mayoral election when it got passed the LG bill again.

However, the provincial government had refused to return the functions of health and education to municipalities, which in the words of the opposition had been ‘snatched’ from the local governments. and passed the bill, before sending it to the governor again for his assent. This time, however, the bill became a law even without the governor's nod.

According to Article 116 of the Constitution: “When the Governor has returned a Bill to the Provincial Assembly, it shall be reconsidered by the provincial assembly and, if it is again passed, with or without amendment, by the provincial assembly, by the votes of majority of the members of the provincial assembly present and voting, it shall be again presented to the Governor and the Governor shall give his assent within 10 days, failing which such assent shall be deemed to have been given.

“When the Governor has assented or is deemed to have assented to a bill, it shall become law and be called an act of provincial assembly.”

With or without the governor’s assent, “After 12 days it [LG bill] will stand implemented automatically across the province,” a spokesperson for Governor House had said.

The law abolishes district municipal corporations in urban parts of the province, replacing them with town municipal corporations.

As per the amended bill, a metropolitan corporation would consist of over 5million people; municipal corporation between 300,000 to 5m; town in metropolitan corporation 500,000 to 750,000, town in municipal corporation 125,000 to 350,000; municipal committee 50,000 to 300,000; union committee in municipal corporation 45,000 to 75,000; union council 10,000 to 25,000 people.

The new bill has deprived the local government institutions of functions like education and health as they would deal only with municipal functions such as water, sanitation and garbage disposal.