The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 181
165 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN else's would achieve the objective better. He was much more human than Mr. Jinnah. Later on, when Pakistan was set up, and he became Prime Minister, people had more to do with him than they had to do with Mr. Jinnah during his brief term as Governor General. He did not treat himself as a purely constitutional head of government but even then Liaqat Ali Khan was Prime Minister and as he was more approachable and necessarily had to be much more in contact with people, Mr. Jinnah's coldness affected the situation much less than it would otherwise have done. There were occasions when differences arose between the two, but they never came visibly to the surface. They managed to adjust themselves to each other quickly. Mr. Jinnah's health began to deteriorate visibly after Pakistan had been set up, and he had a very difficult time, though he made a valiant struggle. It was only just over a year that he was at the head of the government. With me his relations, as between Governor General and Foreign Minister, were extremely good. Political or constitutional theories regarding the Constitutional Head of government and the effective head of government had not much interest for me and I was able to report to him almost as freely and in as much detail as I did to Liaqat Ali Khan. Occasionally, when Mr. Jinnah took particular interest in a matter, I could report to him perhaps even ahead of discussing the matter with Liaqat Ali Khan. There was no question of short-circuiting either. Mr. Jinnah was quite certain, so far as I was concerned, that I was not keeping in mind any distinction as to the form of government under the parliamentary system and the constitutional head of government, and he was quite happy. I got a great deal more help in that way from him, because he was interested in questions of foreign policy, and discussed them freely with me. On one occasion, he raised the question of responsibility in the Cabinet. He said, "We must come to some clear understanding. If you want me to be a purely constitutional head of government, I am quite willing to carry on on that basis. But then the people must know where the responsibility for decision rests. It must be made quite clear publicly. On the other hand, if you are willing to accommodate yourselves to the position that on matters of outstanding importance, we put our heads together and in case differences arise and cannot be