Constitutional Development of Pakistan

1. Topic: Legal
Framework Order
1970
Presented by: UMAIR
IFTIKHAR Natt
Email:
Umairiftikhar559@gmail.com

2. Legal Framework Order 1970
 Abrogation of the Constitution of 1962, Yahya Khan needed a legal
framework to hold elections.
 In April and July 1969, he held discussions with prominent political party
leaders to learn their point of view.
 Most of them asked for the revival of the Constitution of 1956 on the
ground that its abrogation had been unlawful.
 Yahya Khan initially agreed with this opinion, but had to change his
stance due to opposition from the Awami League.

3. Cont.
 He appointed a team to draft a new constitutional formula.
 He voiced his ideas about the constitutional issues in his broadcast
address to the nation on November 28, 1969.
 The formula was officially issued on March 30, 1970, and is known as the
Legal Framework Order of 1970.
 One Unit was dissolved in West Pakistan and direct election replaced the
principle of parity.

4. One Unit
 The One Unit was a geopolitical program launched by the government of
Pakistan led by then-Prime Minister Muhammad Ali BOGRA on 22
November 1954.
 The program was believed to be enacted after the government faced
difficulty of administrating the two unequal polities of Pakistan separated
from each other by more than a thousand miles.
 To eliminate the differences between the two regions, the program
merged the Four Provinces of West Pakistan into a single province as was
the case with East Pakistan.

5. features of the LFO 1970
 The National Assembly was to consist of 313 seats, including 13 seats
reserved for women. Women were also allowed to contest the elections
from general seats. The distribution of seats was to be as follows:
 East Pakistan: 162 general and 7 reserved seats
 Punjab: 82 general and 3 reserved seats
 Sindh: 27 general and 1 reserved seat
 N. W. F. P.: 18 general and 1 reserved seat
 Baluchistan: 4 general and 1 reserved seat
 Centrally Administered Tribal Areas: 7 general seats

6. Cont.
 Each province will have a provincial assembly consisting of elected
members. East Pakistan provincial assembly will have 400
members, Punjab 186, Sindh 62, Baluchistan 21 and NWFP 42.
 The elections for National Assembly will be held on 5 October 1970
and for provincial assemblies not later than 22 October.
 elections to the National Assembly seats, throughout the
country, were held on December 7, 1970, and to the
Provincial Assemblies seats on December 17, 1970.

7. features of the LFO 1970
 After the elections of the National Assembly, provisions will
be made to arrange its meetings.
 The LFO set broad outlines, structures, conditions and
qualifications. Any contesting political party failing to qualify
these conditions would not be able to participate in the
elections.

8. The new constitution of Pakistan will
follow these principles:
 a: Pakistan will be a Federal Republic and will be known as Islamic
Republic of Pakistan
 b: The head of the Pakistan state would be a Muslim and the divinity of
Islam will be preserved.
 c: The principles of democracy will prevail by holding free elections for
federal and provincial legislatures on the basis of adult permission.
Independent judiciary will be made possible along with fundamental
rights for the citizens.

9. Cont.
 d: All provinces will be given maximum independence while the centre
will also remain strong.
 e: The citizens of the country will be able to participate actively in the
affairs of the state and the state will try to eliminate economic inequalities
in the society.
 f: The constitution of the country will make it possible for the Muslims of
Pakistan to live their lives according to the teachings of Islam. The
minorities will be free to follow their own faiths and will be able to enjoy
the benefits of citizenship along with their fellow Pakistanis.

10. Cont.
 g: The LFO clarified the status of national and provincial assemblies. It
stated that the National Assembly would either be the only legislature
provided that federal legislature consisting of one house or it would be
the lower house if federation has two houses. Its tenure would be for the
full term in both cases. The same went for provincial assemblies.
 h: Within 120 days of the first meeting of the National Assembly, it would
form a constitution bill and if it fails to do so, it will dissolve.