CSS Times

Pakistan’s 1973 constitution is, indeed, the most sacred one of all other documents that the lawmakers of this country have ever penned or will pen down. But it is to say with great pain and anguish that this sacred document has been violated many a time by military dictators and civilian leaders alike. While dictators overrode it by abrogating or subverting or suspending it, civilian leaders being unable to implement its provisions also damaged its sanctity. As a result, the likes of Musharaf took courage to call it a piece of paper.

Among other characteristics that the constitution of Pakistan has, Article 25 makes everyone equal before the law and emphasises on indiscriminate treatment. And Article 10 A, included through the 18th Amendment, ensures that the state deprives no one of the due process of law in the civil and criminal matters. The constitution obliges the state to protect these rights of the people, which constitute its Fundamental Rights chapter. However, Article 5 obligates the citizens to obey the law of the land and the constitution itself. And Article 6 is the protection wall to discourage any kind of adventurism against the constitution. However, the intent of the Article aforementioned does end with protecting the basic law. It also seeks to discourage those who want to roll the democratic process back.