Constitution of Pakistan
The Constitution of Pakistan (Urdu: آئینِ پاکستان ; ISO: Āīn-ē-Pākistān), also known as the 1973 Constitution, is the supreme law of Pakistan. The document guides Pakistan's law, political culture, and system. It sets out the state's outline, the fundamental rights of the population, the state's law and orders, and also the structure and establishment of the institutions and the armed forces. Drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, with additional assistance from the country's opposition parties, it was unanimously approved by the 5th Parliament on 10 April and ratified on 14 August 1973. The first three chapters establish the rules, mandate, and separate powers of the three branches of the government: a bicameral legislature; an executive branch governed by the Prime Minister as chief executive; and an apex federal judiciary headed by Supreme Court. The Constitution designates the President of Pakistan as a ceremonial Head of State who is to represent the unity of the state. The first six articles of the constitution outline the political system as federal parliamentary republic system; as well as Islam as its state religion. The Constitution also encapsulates provisions stipulating the legal system's compliance with Islamic injunctions contained in the Quran and Sunnah.
| Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan | |
|---|---|
State emblem of Pakistan | |
| Overview | |
| Jurisdiction | Pakistan |
| Created | 20 October 1972 |
| Ratified | 10 April 1973 |
| Date effective | 14 August 1973 |
| System | Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Republic |
| Government structure | |
| Branches | Three (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) |
| Head of state | President of Pakistan |
| Chambers | Bicameral (Senate and National Assembly) |
| Executive | Prime minister–led cabinet responsible to the lower house of the parliament |
| Judiciary | Supreme court, high courts and district courts |
| Federalism | Federation |
| Electoral college | Yes, for presidential elections |
| History | |
| Amendments | 26 |
| Last amended | 31 May 2018 |
| Location | Parliament House, Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Commissioned by | Parliament of Pakistan |
| Signatories | 5th Parliament (145 out of 150 members) |
| Supersedes | Constitution of Pakistan, 1962 Legal Framework Order, 1970 |
The Parliament cannot make any laws which may be repugnant or contrary to the Constitution; however, the Constitution itself may be amended by a two-thirds majority in both the houses of the bicameral Parliament, unlike the previous legal documents of 1956 and 1962. It has been amended over time, and most recent impulses for political upgrades and reforms has been amended. Although enforced in 1973, Pakistan, however, celebrates the adoption of the constitution on 23 March—when the first set was promulgated in 1956 each and every year as Republic Day. Technically there are 26 amendments but 23 amendments were made in constitution and three were not passed by the parliament as the three amendments collapsed.
Currently the promulgated Constitution of Pakistan, in its amended form, stands as the 7th lengthiest constitution of the world with a word count of 56,240 Words.