Progress and Problems of Democracy in Pakistan
- Adoption of Democracy (1947)
- Objectives Resolution (1949)
- Sovereignty belongs to Allah and is delegated to the people.
- Governance will be conducted within the limits of the Quran and Sunnah.
- Challenges in Constitution-Making
- Ghulam Muhammad (Governor General of Pakistan), dissolved the Constituent Assembly on 24th October 1954.
- One Unit Policy & 1956 Constitution
- One Unit Policy (1955): Merged all West Pakistan provinces into one unit.
- 1956 Constitution: Declared Pakistan an Islamic Republic with a federal parliamentary system.
- Military Rule & 1962 Constitution
- 1958: General Ayub Khan imposed martial law and replaced the parliamentary system with a presidential system.
- 1962 Constitution: General Ayub Khan replaced the parliamentary system with a presidential system
- 1969: Ayub Khan resigned; General Yahya Khan imposed martial law and repealed the 1962 Constitution.
- 1970 Elections & Separation of East Pakistan (1971)
- Awami League (East Pakistan) led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won a majority
- Political unrest and military crackdown led to the separation of East Pakistan.
- 16th December 1971: East Pakistan became Bangladesh.
Key Events Leading to Separation
- March 23, 1971 – Mujibur Rahman hoisted the Bangladeshi flag.
- March 25, 1971 – Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight to regain control.
- India’s direct intervention – Trained and armed Mukti Bahini rebels.
- December 16, 1971 – Pakistan surrendered; East Pakistan became Bangladesh.
Formation of the 1973 Constitution – Comprises 280 articles.
- Parliamentary democracy restored.
- Islam was declared the state religion.
- A federal system was established with power distribution between central and provincial governments.
Political Instability and Martial Law (1977)
- 1977 Elections: PPP won, but opposition claimed rigging.
- Protests led to Martial Law on 5th July 1977 by General Zia-ul-Haq.
- 1973 Constitution was suspended, and political activities were banned.
- An interim constitution was introduced in 1981. Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) issued by General Zia-ul-Haq after suspending the 1973 Constitution.
Formation of Majlis-e-Shura & 1985 Elections
- The nominated Majlis-e-Shura (1981-1985) was formed by a non-elected advisory body formed by General Zia-ul-Haq to replace the National Assembly after the suspension of the 1973 Constitution.
- 1985 Elections were held on a non-party basis(independent candidates allowed).
- Then 1973 Constitution was restored with amendments increasing presidential powers.
- Muhammad Khan Junejo became Prime Minister.
- Martial law was lifted on 30th December 1985.
- May 29, 1988: General Zia dismissed Junejo’s government.
Death of General Zia & Return to Democracy (1988)
- August 17, 1988: General Zia-ul-Haq died in a plane crash.
- Ghulam Ishaq Khan became President.
- 1988 Elections: PPP won, and Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister.
Political Turmoil & Re-Elections (1990-1997)
- 1990: Benazir government was dismissed by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and IJI (Islami Jamhoori Ittehad) won elections, and Nawaz Sharif became PM.
- 1993: Benazir Bhutto re-elected; later dismissed in 1996.
- 1997: PML-N won elections; Nawaz Sharif re-elected as PM.
Military Takeover & Musharraf’s Rule (1999-2008)
- October 12, 1999: General Pervez Musharraf overthrew Nawaz Sharif’s government.
- 2002 Elections: Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali became PM.
- November 2007: Musharraf took oath as a civilian President.
- December 27, 2007, Benazir Bhutto was martyred, in Rawalpindi at Liaquat Bagh, during an election rally.
Return to Civilian Rule (2008-2013)
- 2008 Elections: Yusuf Raza Gilani from PPP became PM.
- August 2008: Musharraf resigned; Asif Ali Zardari became President.
- 2012: Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified Yusuf Raza Gilani from holding office. Raja Pervez Ashraf, another senior leader from PPP, was then appointed as the new Prime Minister.
Nawaz Sharif’s Third Term & Disqualification (2013-2017)
- 2013 Elections: PML-N won; Nawaz Sharif became PM for the third time.
- 2017: Nawaz disqualified; Shahid Khaqan Abbasi became PM.
PTI’s Victory & Political Transition
- 2018 Elections: PTI win.
- Imran Khan became PM.
- no-confidence motion replaced imran
Constitution of 1956 (Key Features)
- Implemented on: March 23, 1956.
- Pakistan declared an Islamic Republic.
- Federal Parliamentary System introduced.
- President must be a Muslim.
- Objectives Resolution served as the foundation of the Constitution.
- Urdu and Bengali declared as national languages.
- Independent Judiciary ensured.
Constitution of 1962 (Key Features)
- Came into force on: June 8, 1962.
- Presidential System replaced the parliamentary system.
- Federal system with equal representation for East and West Pakistan.
- National Assembly had 156 members, equally divided between both regions.
- Written Constitution with 250 articles.
Key Points: The Constitution of 1973
- Draft presented on December 31, 1972, approved on April 10, 1973.
- Written Constitution with 280 articles.
- Objectives Resolution (1949) included
- Pakistan officially named Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
- Islam declared as the religion of state; President & Prime Minister must be Muslims.
- Federal Parliamentary System with Prime Minister as head of government.
- Independent Judiciary
- Fundamental Rights: Freedom of speech, religion, education, and protection against discrimination.
- Urdu declared national language
- President elected for 5 years, acts on the Prime Minister’s advice, can approve bills and declare emergencies.
- Prime Minister elected by National Assembly, holds executive powers.
- Federal Cabinet includes Federal Ministers & Ministers of State for governance.
- Federal Administrative Structure:
- Secretary (Grade-22) – Head of a ministry.
- Additional Secretary (Grade-21) – Heads a division.
- Joint Secretary (Grade-20) – Implements policies.
- Deputy Secretary (Grade-19) – Supervises a branch.
- The 1973 Constitution remains remains the highest legal authority in Pakistan, and all laws, policies, and government actions must align with it
Provincial Government Structure
- Governor: Constitutional head, appointed by the President.
- Chief Minister: Administrative head, elected by the Provincial Assembly.
- Provincial Cabinet: Ministers managing specific departments.
- Chief Secretary: Senior-most bureaucratic officer, advisor to the Chief Minister.
Judiciary Under the Constitution of 1973
- Supreme Court: Highest judicial authority, interprets the Constitution.
- High Courts: Function under the Supreme Court in provinces.
- Judicial Review: Supreme Court can nullify unconstitutional laws.
Key Constitutional Amendments
- 1st Amendment (May 1974) – Recognition of Bangladesh, inclusion of FATA in Pakistan.
- 2nd Amendment (Sept 1974) – Definition of a Muslim, Qadianis (Ahmadis) declared non-Muslim.