The constitution of pakistan

Brief & Relevant data

1. 1
BSCS(2)Fal-2017
PakStudiesAssignment
Topic:
TheConstitutionof1973
AssignmentSubmittedTo:
Ma’amNosheenGull
AssignmentSubmittedBy:
ShefaIdrees#101631049
DepartmentofComputer
Science

2. 2
WhatisConstitution?
“Constitutionisthesetoffundamentallaws/principlesmaybewritten
orunwrittenonwhichacountryisacknowledgedtobegoverned.”
Islamicpoint-of-viewaboutConstitution
ThefirstMuslimconstitutionwaspromulgatedbytheHolyProphetof
IslamHazratMuhammad(P.B.U.H)whenHe(P.B.U.H)migratedto
Madinaandafoundationwaslaidforthegovernmentofacitystate.
Thisconstitutionwasframedandputintoeffectwiththefullconsensus
ofnotonlythefollowersoftheProphetMuhammad(PBUH)butalso
hadtheconcurrenceoftheJewsandothernon-converts.The
constitution,thusframed,gavethedetailsoftherightsanddutiesofthe
rulerandtheruled.
BriefHistoryof1973Constitution
Aftertakingcontrolofthegovernmentin
1971.Z.A.Bhuttostartedworkonademocraticconstitutionforthe
country.On17thApril1972theNationalAssemblyconstituteda
committeetoprepareadraftconstitution.TheCommitteeworkedhard
andpreparedthedraftoftheconstitutionwhichwaspresentedtothe
leadersofallparliamentaryleaderson20thOctober1972.Allthe
leaderssignedthedraft.Afterthatitwasdiscussedanddebatednthe
NationalAssemblywhichgaveitsapprovalon10thApril1973.The
Presidentgavehisassenton12thApril1973.Finally,theSenate

3. 3
approvedtheconstitutioninAugust1973.Consequently,the
constitutionwasenforcedinthecountryon14thAugust1973.
AccordingtotheConstitutionof1973Mr.Z.A.Bhuttolookoverasthe
tenthPrimeMinisterandMr.Fazl-e-ElahiwassworninasthePresident
ofPakistan.
TheConstitution
TheconstitutionofPakistan1973wasenforcedon14thAug1973.It
consistsof280articlesand7scheduleswithObjectiveResolution
formingthepreambleoftheconstitutionbeside20amendmentswhich
havebeenmadesincethen.Itisregardedasthelandmark
accomplishmentofBhutto’seraasitwasaunanimousactofthe
parliamentwithcompleteconsensusofallthepoliticalparties.However,
manytwistsandturnshavebeenwitnessedeversinceitsenforcement
butstillitisthesupremelawoflandandthesacrosanctinstrument
whichreignssupremeingovernanceofthestate.Theconstitution
declaredPakistananIslamicrepubliclayingdownconditionforheadof
stateandheadofthegovernmenttobeMuslims.However,8th
amendmenthasmadetheObjectiveResolutionasubstantialpartofthe
constitutionbyincorporatingitasarticle2Aaccordingtowhichalllaws
madeinPakistanshouldbeinaccordancewiththeinjunctionsofQuran
andSunnah.ItsIslamiccharacterisfurtherreinforcedbyacceptingthe
sovereigntyofAlmightyAllah,Islamtobethestatereligionandby
promisingtheMuslimstoenablethemtoordertheirlivesinaccordance
withthefundamentalprinciplesofIslam.Italsoprovidesalonglistof
fundamentalrightsaswelldirectiveprinciplesofstatepolicy.Besides,
theconstitutionenvisagesafederationofPakistanandaffordsa
parliamentaryformofgovernmentleavingpresidentwithonly
ceremoniousfunctions.Thefederallegislatureisbicamerali.e.senate
theupperhouseandnationalassemblythelowerhouse.Moreover,the
constitutionprovidesanindependentjudiciary,provincialautonomyto

4. 4
thefederatingunits,acouncilofcommoninterests,acouncilofIslamic
ideologyetc.Thesubsequentvoyageoftheconstitutionhoweverwas
notsmooth.Ithasbeensuspendedorheldinabeyancetwice.
Amendmentsmadebymilitarydictatorshavechangedspiritoforiginal
constitution.Sofar,20amendmentshavebeenmademostofwhich
havebeenbroughtaboutnotforthefulfillmentofcompulsionsand
needsofchangingtimesbuttoaccomplishtheselfishends.This
experimentationhasachievednothingbutinstabilityinthecountrythat
hasblockedtheprocessofestablishingandstrengtheningthe
democraticsysteminPakistan.
SalientFeaturesof1973Constitution

5. 5
TheConstitutionof1973isstrikinglydifferentfromtheearlier
Constitutionof1956and1962.Ithasthefollowingsalientfeatures:
WrittenConstitution
Likethepreviousconstitutionsof1956and1962theConstitutionof
1973isawrittendocument.Itisverycomprehensiveandconsistsof
twelvepartsconsistingof280articles.
IntroductoryandtheObjectivesResolution
ItcommenceswithanintroductorywhichslatestheIslamshallbe
statereligion.TheprinciplesandprovisionssetoutintheObjectives
Resolutionhavebeenmadesubstantivepartoftheconstitution.
IslamicSystem
TheinclusionofIslamicProvisionshasgiventhe1973Constitution
anunprecedentedIslamiccharacter.ItensuresanIslamicsystemin
thecountry.
RigidConstitution
Itisarigidconstitution.NoGovernmentcanchangeitatwill.Itis
noteasytomakeamendmentsinit.Two-thirdmajorityofboththe
housesisrequiredforthispurpose.
FederalSystem
TheConstitutionof1973hasintroducedaFederalsysteminthe
country.ThefederationofPakistanconsistsofaCentralGovernment
andfourProvincialGovernments.TheFederalGovernmentis
headedbyaPresidentelectedbymembersofMajlis-e-Shoora
(Parliament).
ParliamentaryformofGovernment
The1973ConstitutionproposesaParliamentaryformofGovernment
inthecountry.PrimeministeristheheadoftheParliamentary
system.HeisleaderoftheMajlis-e-Shoora(Parliamentary).Heis
electedondirectadultfranchisebasis.ThePrimeMinisterselectsa

6. 6
cabinetofcentralministersfromthemembersofParliamentwhich
conductstheaffairsofthecountry.Accordingto1973Constitution
thePrimeMinisterenjoyswidepowers.
BicameralLegislature
TheConstitutionprovidesfortheestablishmentofabicameral
legislatureinPakistan.TheMajlis-e-Shoora(Parliament)consistsof
twoHousesnamedSenateandNationalAssembly.TheSenateorthe
UpperHouseconsistsof63members(the8thAmendmenthasraised
thisnumberto87).TheNationalAssemblyconsistsof200members
(Nowthisnumberhasbeenraisedto207).TheMajlis-e-Shoora
enjoyswidepowersoflegislature.
DirectMethodofElection
TheConstitutionof1973givesadirectmethodofelection.The
membersoftheNationalAssembly,theProvincialAssembliesare
directlyelectedbythepeople.
FundamentalRights
The1973Constitutionensuresthefollowingfundamentalrightsto
thecitizensofPakistan:
1.Securityofperson
2.Safeguardagainstunlawfularrestanddetention
3.Prohibitionofslaveryandforcedlabor
4.Freedomofmovement
5.Freedomofassembly
6.Freedomofassociation
7.Freedomofbusiness
8.Freedomofspeech
9.Freedomofprofessreligion
10.Righttoholdproperty
11.Equalitybeforelaw
12.Righttopreservelanguage,scriptandculture
13.Safeguardagainstdiscriminationinservices.
PrinciplesofPolicy
TheConstitutionof1973hassetthefollowingprinciplesofpolicy:

7. 7
1.Localelectoralbodieswillbesetupforsolving
localproblems.
2.Theparochialandotherprejudicesshallbe
discouraged.
3.Thewomenshallbegivenfullrepresentationinallspheresof
nationallife.
4.Socialjusticeshallbepromoted.
5.BondswithMuslimworldshallbestrenghened.
IndependenceofJudiciary
TheConstitutionof1973stressesupontheestablishmentofan
independentjudiciary.Fulljobsecurityhasbeenprovided.The
judgesareappointedbythePresident.Theycannotberemovedfrom
servicebeforetheendoftheirtermexceptontherecommendationof
theSupremeJudicialCouncil.Inaddition,theJudgesarepaid
respectablesalaries.
NationalLanguage
The1973ConstitutionhasdeclaredUrduasthenationallanguageof
Pakistan.However,Englishhasbeenretainedastheofficiallanguage
for15years.Similarly,regionallanguageshavebeenprovidedfull
protection.
SingleCitizenship
TheConstitutionof1973hasestablishedtheprinciplesofsingle
citizenship.Accordingtothisprincipletherightsanddutiesofthe
citizensaredeterminedbytheFederalConstitutiononly.Thusthe
peoplethroughoutPakistanarecitizensofPakistan.
RuleofLaw
The1973ConstitutionestablishesruleoflawinPakistan.According
toruleoflawnopersoncanbedeprivedofhisfundamentalrights.
AllthecitizensofPakistanareequalbeforelaw.