CONSTITUTION
OF 1973 &
AMENDMENTS
Lecturer: Babar Ejaz
Lecture No: 07
Topics
AGENDA Overview of Constitution
Amendments in 1973
Constitution
OVERVIEW OF 1973
CONSTITUTION
OVERVIEW
IMPORTANT NAMES
• Drafted By President Z.A Bhutto
• Mian Mahmud Ali Kasuri (Law Minister)
• Abdul Hafeez Pirzada (Education Minister)
IMPORTANT DATES
• 22 May 1972 (Committee Began Work On The Constitution)
• 20 October 172 (Consensus Reached On The Characteristic Of
Constitution In All Parties Conference)
• 10 April1973 (Unanimously Approved By Then Parliament Of
Pakistan
• 14 August, 1973 (Ratifies S Official Constitution Of Pakistan)
COMPOSITION
• 280 Articles
• 7 Schedules
• 26 Amendments
SALIENT FEATURES OF 1973
CONSTITUTION
Written Constitution
All the laws are codified in the form of articles of
constitution.
Federal Constitution
It
establishes a central government and the governments
of the federating units, namely the province of Punjab, Sindh,
KPK and Baluchistan.
Parliamentary Form of Government
Return to Parliamentary form of government, where Prime
minister holds the most power and President is nominal
Head of State.
Bicameral Legislature
Parliament
consist of two house, National Assembly (Lower
House) and the Senate (Upper House)
Fundamental Rights
Equality of all citizens before the law.
Security of persons and of their properties and other belongings.
Freedom of Speech.
Freedom of expression.
Freedom of association.
Religious Freedom
Right to adopt any lawful profession.
Islamic Provisions
The Constitution names the country as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Islam is the State Religion of Pakistan.
Sovereignty Belongs to Allah Almighty.
Only Muslims could become President and PM of Pakistan
Islamic way of Life.
Islamization of Laws
National Language
Urdu was made the national language of Pakistan
Direct Election System
Members of the National Assembly and Provincial Assembly are to be selected
through Direct Election.
Independence of Judiciary
The Constitution also provides independence of judiciary from the Executive
President can appoint members of judiciary by will, but he cannot dismiss them
with out the advice of Supreme Judicial Colony of Pakistan.
AMENDMENTS IN THE 1973
CONSTITUTION
Either of two houses (Senate or NA) can originate a bill to
make an amendment to the constitution.
Two third majority is needed in both houses to pass an
amendment bill
To date 26 amendments have been made to the constitution
of 1973.
Three of these proposed amendments did not pass.
9th Amendment
11th Amendment
15th Amendment
MAJOR AMENDMENTS
1st Amendment – 4th May 1974
Boundaries of Pakistan were redefined and any reference to East Pakistan were
removed.
2nd Amendment – 17th September 1974
Definition of Muslims was defined, and Ahmadi’s were declared non-Muslims and a
minority.
8th Amendment – 11th November 1985
President was given additional powers , moving Pakistan’s government from a
Parliamentary system to a Semi-Presidential system.
13th Amendment – 1997
Stripped President of his reserve power to dissolve the NA of Pakistan, and there by
triggering new elections and dismissing the PM.
17th Amendment – 2003
Reversed 13th Amendment and gave more power to the President.
18th Amendment – 8th April 2010
Again removed the power of President to dissolve the Parliament unilaterally.
Gave more authority to the provinces.
Abrogation, subversion or suspension of constitution by use of force or by any other
unconstitutional means shall be considered high treason.
21st Amendment – 7th Jan 2015
Established military courts for speedy trials of terrorist in aftermath of APS Peshawar attack.
25th Amendment – 31st May 2018
Merged FATA with KPK.
26th Amendment – 21st October 2024
Appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court
Formation of Constitutional benches in SC
Evaluation of the Judges of HC
THANK YOU
Any Questions?
