---
title: "Pakistan Constitution & Political System | Model Diplomat"
description: "Follow Pakistan's constitutional evolution from 1956 to the 1973 Constitution, its federal-parliamentary features, and the major amendments tested in CSS"
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/css-pakistan-affairs-constitution-political-system"
---

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Constitution & political system

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# Constitution & political system

Pakistan's constitutional evolution from 1956 to the 1973 Constitution, its salient federal-parliamentary features, and the major amendments tested in the CSS Pakistan Affairs pape

## From the Independence Act to Three Constitutions

Pakistan inherited its first legal order from the **Indian Independence Act, 1947** and the **Government of India Act, 1935** (as adapted), which served as the interim constitution until 1956. The Constituent Assembly's foundational act was the **Objectives Resolution of 12 March 1949**, moved by Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, declaring that sovereignty belongs to Allah and is exercised by the people as a sacred trust. The Objectives Resolution became a substantive, enforceable provision of the constitution as **Article 2A**, inserted by President Zia-ul-Haq through the **Revival of the Constitution Order (RCO), 1985** and confirmed by the Eighth Amendment.

**The 1956 Constitution** declared Pakistan an Islamic Republic, established a unicameral legislature and parliamentary government, and adopted the principle of parity between East and West Pakistan (One Unit, created 1955). It survived only until **7 October 1958**, when President Iskander Mirza abrogated it and imposed martial law; General Ayub Khan deposed Mirza twenty days later.

**The 1962 Constitution**, promulgated by Ayub Khan, created a presidential system with an indirectly elected President chosen by 80,000 (later 120,000) **Basic Democrats**. It abolished the office of Prime Minister, concentrated power in the presidency, and was suspended after Ayub handed power to General Yahya Khan in March 1969. Yahya's **Legal Framework Order, 1970** governed the first general election on adult franchise in December 1970, whose results—the Awami League sweeping East Pakistan—were not honoured, precipitating the secession of Bangladesh in December 1971.

## The 1973 Constitution

The **Constitution of 1973**, framed under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and passed unanimously by the National Assembly on **10 April 1973**, took effect on **14 August 1973**. It is Pakistan's only constitution to command consensus across parties and provinces and remains in force today. Its core choices are decisive: a **federal** structure with four provinces; a **parliamentary** system in which the Prime Minister is the chief executive and the President a constitutional head (Article 48 binds the President to act on the Prime Minister's advice); a **bicameral** Parliament (Majlis-e-Shoora) comprising the National Assembly and an equal-representation Senate that safeguards provincial parity; and **Islam as the state religion** (Article 2), with the **Council of Islamic Ideology** (Article 228) and the **Federal Shariat Court** (added 1980) policing conformity with Islamic injunctions.

Fundamental Rights are guaranteed in **Articles 8–28** and the **Principles of Policy** in Articles 29–40. The constitution can be amended under **Article 238–239** by a two-thirds majority of each House. A candidate must memorise these structural anchors: 1956 (parliamentary, parity), 1962 (presidential), 1973 (federal parliamentary consensus document).

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