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THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN, PARTS I & II

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Lesson 8
THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN, PARTS I & II
This handout lists names of two relevant books, website addresses and a brief summary of the most recent
Constitutional Amendments. For the full text of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 as amended up to the 17th
Amendment in December, 2003, students are advised to use the website created by Advocate, Zain Sheikh
who has authored the book titled: "The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973" published by
Pakistan Law House, GPO Box 90, Pakistan Chowk, Karachi 74200, Tel: 2212455, 2639558, e-mail:
pak_law_house@hotmail.com.
The website is: www.pakistanconstitution-law.com. Students are also advised to refer to the relevant sections
of the book which is already listed in the reading list for the first 9 lectures and which is particularly relevant
to this subject i.e. "Constitutional and Political History of Pakistan" by Hamid Khan, published by Ameena
Saiyid, Oxford University Press, Plot No.38, Sector 15, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi 74900, 2005.
Website: www.oup.com.
Placed below is a summary of some of the more significant aspects of the amendments made through the
Legal Framework Order, 2002 and the 17th Constitutional Amendment, 2003, as amended from relevant
pages of the above book by Hamid Khan.
Legal Framework Order, (LFO) 2002 and the 17th Constitutional Amendment
The LFO in August 2002 amended/added 29 Articles of / to the Constitution. The 17th Amendment in
December 2003 amended/added 20 Articles out of the above 29 Articles. The other 9 were
dropped/deleted/amended.
i)
Political parties are required to hold intra-party elections to elect their office bearers and party
leaders. It has also been provided that no political party should promote sectarian, ethnic, regional
hatred or animosity.
ii)
General Pervez Musharraf would relinquish the office of Chief Executive on such day that might be
determined in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment in Zafar Ali Shah's case. However, he
would hold office of the President of Pakistan for a term of five years from the day he assume such
office (note: General Pervez Musharraf obtained a vote of confidence from Parliament and the
Provincial assemblies on 1st January 2004).
iii)
The seats in the National Assembly were increased to 342 with 60 seats reserved for women and 10
seats reserved for non Muslims. The number of seats in the Provincial Assemblies wee also raised.
In Balochistan, the number of seats were raised to 65 (11 seats reserved for women and 3 for non-
Muslims); in NWFP, seats were raised to 144 (22 seats reserved for women and three for non
Muslims); in the Punjab, seats were raised to 371 (66 seats reserved for women and 8 seats for non
Muslims); and in Sindh, seats were increased to 168 (29 seats reserved for women and 9 seats for non
Muslims). The seats in the Senate were increased from 87 to 100 with 16 seats reserved for women
i.e. 4 from each province.
iv)
Article 58 which deals with various conditions in which the National Assembly may be dissolved was
given an additional sub-clause i.e. Article 58(3). As per this new sub-clause, when the President
dissolves the National Assembly at his own discretion, he is now required to refer the dissolution to
the Supreme Court which, in turn, is required to decide the validity of the dissolution within 30 days
and the decision of the Supreme Court on this matter shall be final.
v)
New disqualifications were added to Article 63 which include: persons convicted and sentenced to
imprisonment as absconders; defaulters in the payment of loans from banks or cooperative societies
amounting to Rs.2 million or more; defaulters in the payment of government dues and utility bills
etc.
Article 63A, added by the 14th Amendment, was drastically changed and the anti-defection clause
vi)
would only be applicable to a member of a political party who votes against the direction of his
parliamentary party in relation to election of the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister; or in a vote of
confidence or no-confidence; or a money bill.
vii)
In case of difference of opinion between the two Houses of Parliament on a Bill, it would be referred
to a mediation committee consisting of 16 members, 8 members from each House of Parliament.
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viii)
Whenever the Money Bill would originate (be passed) in the National Assembly, its copy would be
transmitted to the Senate which may make its own recommendations on the Bill to the National
Assembly within seven days. However, the National Assembly can pass the Money Bill with or
without incorporating the recommendations of the Senate.
ix)
Where a Bill is passed by both the Houses of Parliament for assent, the President may return the Bill
to Parliament for reconsideration. However, the Bill can only be passed with or without amendments
by Parliament after going through the process of consideration of the matter by the Mediation
Committee of Parliament.
x)
A Governor of a Province will be appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime
Minister.
Article 112 (2)(b), deleted by the 13th Constitutional Amendment, was revived, thus, conferring
xi)
discretionary powers on a Governor to dissolve a Provincial Assembly at his discretion, subject to
the previous approval of the President.
xii)
Article 140A has been added so as to confer Constitutional status to the local government system.
xiii)
Article 209 has been modified conferring power in the Supreme Judicial Council to enquire into the
matter of misconduct of judges on its own motion.
xiv)
The Election Commission of Pakistan has been enlarged by including four judges of the High
Courts, one from each Province.
xv)
Article 270AA has been added validating all the laws made during the period of suspension of the
Constitution and actions taken there under.
xvi)
Article 270B has been added declaring that the elections held in October 2002 would be deemed to
have been held under the Constitution.
xvii)
Article 270C has been added declaring that all the judges who had taken oath under the Oath of
Office of Judges Order 2000 would be deemed to have been appointed under the Constitution.
Similarly those who had not taken oath under the said Order would be deemed to have ceased to
continue as judges.
xviii)
Schedule VI was amended and a number of laws were added to the list of laws that could not be
altered, repealed or amended without previous sanction of the President. These laws include State
Bank of Pakistan Act, National Accountability Bureau Ordinance, Election Commission Order 2002;
Conduct of General Elections Order 2002; Political Parties Order 2002, the Police Order 2002 and
all the four Local Government Ordinances for the four provinces, passed in 2001.
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Table of Contents:
  1. THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE PAKISTANI NATION-STATE
  2. “PAKISTAN: THE FIRST 11 YEARS 1947-1958” PART 1
  3. “PAKISTAN: THE FIRST 11 YEARS 1947-1958”PART-2
  4. ROOTS OF CHAOS: TINY ACTS OR GIANT MIS-STEPS?
  5. “FROM NEW HOPES TO SHATTERED DREAMS: 1958-1971”
  6. “RENEWING PAKISTAN: 1971-2005” PART-I: 1971-1988
  7. RENEWING PAKISTAN: PART II 1971-2005 (1988-2005)
  8. THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN, PARTS I & II
  9. THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN, PARTS I & II:Changing the Constitution
  10. THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF PAKISTAN:Senate Polls: Secrecy Breeds Distortion
  11. THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN:A new role for the Election Commission
  12. “POLITICAL GROUPINGS AND ALLIANCES: ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES”
  13. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND INTEREST GROUPS
  14. “THE POPULATION, EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS OF PAKISTAN”
  15. THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT POLICY 2005:Environment and Housing
  16. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 2005:The National Policy, Sectoral Guidelines
  17. THE CHILDREN OF PAKISTAN:Law Reforms, National Plan of Action
  18. “THE HEALTH SECTOR OF PAKISTAN”
  19. NGOS AND DEVELOPMENT
  20. “THE INFORMATION SECTOR OF PAKISTAN”
  21. MEDIA AS ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL POWER:Directions of National Security
  22. ONE GLOBE: MANY WORLDS
  23. “THE UNITED NATIONS” PART-1
  24. “THE UNITED NATIONS” PART-2
  25. “MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS)”:Excerpt
  26. “THE GLOBALIZATION: THREATS AND RESPONSES – PART-1”:The Services of Nature
  27. THE GLOBALIZATION: THREATS AND RESPONSES – PART-2”
  28. “WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)”
  29. “THE EUROPEAN UNION”:The social dimension, Employment Policy
  30. “REGIONAL PACTS”:North America’s Second Decade, Mind the gap
  31. “OIC: ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE”
  32. “FROM SOUTH ASIA TO SAARC”:Update
  33. “THE PAKISTAN-INDIA RELATIONSHIP”
  34. “DIMENSIONS OF TERRORISM”
  35. FROM VIOLENT CONFLICT TO PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE
  36. “OIL AND BEYOND”
  37. “PAKISTAN’S FOREIGN POLICY”
  38. “EMERGING TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS”
  39. “GLOBALIZATION OF MEDIA”
  40. “GLOBALIZATION AND INDIGENIZATION OF MEDIA”
  41. “BALANCING PUBLIC INTERESTS AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS”
  42. “CITIZENS’ MEDIA AND CITIZENS’ MEDIA DIALOGUE”
  43. “CITIZENS’ MEDIA RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES”Exclusive Membership
  44. “CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING”:Forming a Group
  45. “MEDIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY”