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Pakistan Studies · Class 9 · Chapter 3: Constitutional Development in Islamic Republic of Pakistan

8 min

Key points

Pakistan's constitutional journey began with the Government of India Act 1935 and Interim Constitution 1947
First Constitution of Pakistan was adopted on 23rd March 1956, making Pakistan the first Islamic Republic
1962 Constitution introduced Presidential system under Ayub Khan with indirect elections
1973 Constitution restored Parliamentary system under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and declared Islam as state religion
The 1973 Constitution is the current constitution with federal structure and bicameral legislature
Constitution provides fundamental rights including freedom of speech, religion, and movement
Islamic provisions include Federal Shariat Court and Council of Islamic Ideology
Amendment procedure requires two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament

Definitions

Constitution: A written document that contains the fundamental laws and principles by which a country is governed and which establishes the powers and duties of the government and guarantees certain rights to the people
Federal System: A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units like provinces
Parliamentary System: A system of government in which the executive is responsible to the legislature and can be removed by a vote of no confidence
Fundamental Rights: Basic human rights guaranteed by the constitution that protect citizens from arbitrary government action
Islamic Republic: A state where Islam is the official religion and Islamic principles guide the laws and governance of the country

Worked example

Define Constitutional Development and explain any three features of 1973 Constitution of Pakistan. (7 marks)

Constitutional Development means the gradual process of making and improving the constitution of a country to establish a proper system of government. Three features of 1973 Constitution: (1) Federal System - Pakistan was declared a federal republic with provinces having specific powers. (2) Parliamentary System - Prime Minister as head of government and President as head of state. (3) Islamic Provisions - Islam declared as state religion and no law can be made against Quran and Sunnah.

Common mistakes

Students confuse dates of different constitutions - remember 1956, 1962, 1973
Mixing up Presidential system (1962) with Parliamentary system (1956, 1973)
Forgetting to mention Islamic provisions in 1973 Constitution features
Writing constitutional amendment procedure incorrectly - it requires two-thirds majority
Not distinguishing between federal and unitary systems properly

Quick recap

Constitutional Development in Pakistan involved three main constitutions: 1956 (first constitution, presidential system), 1962 (presidential system under Ayub Khan), and 1973 (current parliamentary system with Islamic provisions). The 1973 Constitution established Pakistan as an Islamic Federal Republic with parliamentary democracy. Key features include federal structure, fundamental rights, Islamic provisions, and separation of powers between federal and provincial governments.

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