Democratize the Senate

This refers to the letter ‘Parliament to presidency’ (February 2, 2024) by Zamur Hafeez Amir. As pointed out by the writer, the direct election of the prime minister can compromise the parliamentary system. 

We therefore need some other mechanism that strengthens the democratic system with proper checks and balances. The upper house, Senate, is considered a powerful institution in many democratic countries but not in Pakistan. Here, the Senate often becomes just an extension of the lower house as the senators are chosen by the parties and relatively insulated from public opinion. The system needs a more independent Senate with oversight on the performance of the government in power.

I believe the direct election of senators will enhance their independence and make them more accountable to the people. The president should likewise be directly elected by the people rather than being nominated by whichever government is in power. Under the foregoing arrangement, the assembly, the senate and the presidency would be independent and neutral institutions.

Kulsoom Arif

Karachi