ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday passed a resolution against a “systematic campaign” being run to propagate presidential system of government in the country, warning that such a move would have “disastrous consequences” for the federation.

Through the resolution, tabled by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani on behalf of the lawmakers belonging to almost all opposition parties represented in the house, the Senate made a “resolve that it will preserve and protect the parliamentary form of government as envisaged in the 1973 Constitution”.

The resolution was adopted by the house as it was not opposed by the treasury members. Leader of the House in the Senate Dr Shahzad Wasim made it clear that the government had nothing to do with the ongoing debate in the country on the presidential system, but at the same time said there was no need for the presentation of this resolution which, according to him, would strengthen those forces which were behind such a campaign.

He also indirectly criticised the mainstream media for picking up the issues being discussed on social media and said the Senate should not have become part of such debates.

Leader of house says government has nothing to do with ongoing debate on presidential system

The members of the joint opposition have also submitted a similar resolution to the National Assembly Secretariat, expressing the resolve to uphold and strengthen the federal parliamentary system in the country as provided in the 1973 Constitution.

The opposition parties had previously alleged that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was behind such a “campaign” to distract the people’s attention from real issues and its failure on every front.

This perception, however, had been categorically refuted by Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry, who termed the speculation about emergency or presidential form of government a part of “fake news culture” prevailing in the country thanks to some YouTubers and V-loggers.

Quaid’s vision

The Senate resolution states that “a systematic campaign in a section of the media and social media is being run to undermine the federal parliamentary form of government”, recalling that Founder of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah envisaged a federal parliamentary form of government as his vision for Pakistan.

It further recalls that the people of Pakistan have relentlessly struggled and sacrificed for a federal parliamentary form of government. The Senate is “conscious” of the fact that Pakistan is a participatory federation and “emphasises that the 1973 Constitution envisages Pakistan to be a federation with a parliamentary form of government, trichotomy of power, independence of the judiciary, provincial autonomy and fundamental rights for its citizens”.

It observes that a presidential form of government will introduce a “unitary form of government wherein the entire constitution will be required to be rewritten”.

Through the resolution, the Senate warns that “given the intra-provincial and federal provincial polarisation, internal political instability, the regional situation and international attempts at colonisation of Pakistan will make a national consensus on a new constitution impossible”.

Earlier, PPP parliamentary leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman, through a statement, called for the resignation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman for his reported statement in support of the presidential form of government in the country.

While speaking at an event recently, Mr Farman reportedly stated that Pakistan would be better governed under the presidential system than under the current parliamentary one. He had said that the presidential system would bring an end to corruption and the federating units would be strengthened.

Sherry Rehman asked the federal government to explain its position in the wake of the “unconstitutional and undemocratic statement” of the KP governor.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2022