something untoward happens and the majority of his party withdraws support overnight. It was the compelling necessity of keeping the majority of his party satisfied that made many a minister in the past depart from the straight path. We think that many of the ministers, who held office during the period under review, would have acted on the right lines if they were not so utterly dependent on their supporters.
From this it can be seen that the Presidential system is more suited to the conditions prevailing in Pakistan. The case for the Presidential system cannot, however, be confined to its merely being the only alternative to the parliamentary form which has failed in this country. As a nation which has just emerged out of a colonial past, whose major requirement is political unity and which is embarking on an ambitious programme of social reform and economic development, the presidential system has special advantages to offer.
On the political plane, the growth of unity amongst a people thrown together for the first time as a distinct political entity is a problem of considerable magnitude. In our case the geographical separation of the two wings has made it more acute. To carry us over this arduous Period of transition the government must be effective and it must be able to create and foster a concept of national unity. The new system by giving executive authority to one individual with a mandate from the entire nation should make this possible.
Secondly, our political growth is still in its initial stages. The Presidential system with a separate Executive and Legislature, each with fixed terms of office would be better able to stand up to the strains inevitable in times when political institutions are still taking shape. As the executive is not directly dependent upon the immediate support of the Legislature, crossing the floor in search of power would be meaningless. Party alignments will, therefore, not make or unmake governments. Members of the Legislature, instead of being engaged in the pursuit of power, would be able to devote more of their attention to their real task of reflecting the national will.
Thirdly, the challenge of economic growth which faces us can only be met by an effective executive which would be able to work independently of day-to-day pressures and would be in position to implement its economic policies with speed and vigor. It should not have to keep a constant eye on the shifting loyalties of vested interests and pressure groups. In short, the executive should be responsible to the nation, but though retaining sensitivity to public opinion, it should be relatively free from unnecessary harassment by the Legislature.
FRANCHISE
The city stales of ancient Greece functioned as direct democracies, in which, every free citizen gave counsel and contributed to decisions. But this is possible only in small communities living in compact blocks. On account of their relatively large populations and areas, the magnitude and complexity of modern state craft and the ever-increasing responsibilities of government, modern democratic nations have now adopted the method of representative democracy", by which the people authorize citizens possessing particular qualifications of age, literacy, property, etc., to carry on the task of government
