Description of Course

Constitutional history of Pakistan is dotted with various strong and weak points. It has all the major features of constitutional systems of the established democracies as inherited from British India. However, constitutional breakdowns, tensions between civil and military wings of the State, coups d’états, tug of war between judiciary and executive, and uncertainty about the role of Islam in the state have adversely affected the process of Constitutional development in Pakistan. This course seeks to expose the students to constitutional debates and the general framework of the constitutional thought and practice in the country.

Objectives of Course

1) To cultivate the understanding of the legal and constitutional edifice of the state and develop a profile of various challenges faced by it;

2) To develop appreciation of the complex process of interaction between the letter and spirit of the Constitution on the one hand and political practice on the other;

3) To deal with contentious issues which continue to come up every now and then, relating to provincial autonomy, federalism, Islamization, minorities and local bodies, among others.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, you will be able to understand about:

• History of Constitutional Development before partition.
• The Objective Resolution of March, 1949..
• Constitutional Issues and basic features of the constitutions of 1956, 1962 and 1973

Scheme of Studies

• Government of India Act 1935, as amended and adopted after 1947
• Constitution Making from 1947-1956
• A comparative study of the Constitutions of 1956 and 1962
• The Constitution of 1973 with amendments and Provincial Constitutional Orders
• Constitutional Problems of Pakistan
• Role or Judiciary in constitutional development.

Class Timings

Tuesday                (09:30-11:00) - (12:30 - 02:00)

Thursday               (09:30-11:00) - (02:00 - 03:30)

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA .

1-Mid Term Examination.                                                                                                                                                          30 Marks
2-Final Term Examination.                                                                                                                                                        50 Marks
3-Sessional Marks ( Presentation, Assignment, Class participation and Attendance ).                                                           20 Marks

Recommended Books

1. Khan Hamid, Constitutional & Political History of Pakistan, Lahore, Oxford University Press, 2002.
2. G.W. Choudhry, Constitutional Development in Pakistan, London, Longman, 1967