1956 Constitution of Pakistan: Introduction and Structure
📌 The Constitution was formally introduced on March 23, 1956, an historically significant date associated with the Lahore Resolution (1940).
📜 The document contained 234 Articles and six Schedules, officially describing Pakistan as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
🏛️ It showed continuity by incorporating some articles, with modifications, from the Government of India Act 1935 and the first interim constitution of 1947.

Parliamentary System and Executive Authority
👑 The Constitution established a parliamentary system of government, where the President is the Head of State with limited, often ceremonial, powers exercised on the advice of the Prime Minister (Head of Government).
🗳️ The President had to be a Muslim, elected for 5 years by members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, with a minimum age of 45 years.
🤝 The Prime Minister was appointed by the President, but must command the majority support in the National Assembly; loss of confidence required resignation or removal by the President.

Legislature and Financial Powers
🏠 It created a unicameral Parliament named the National Assembly, consisting of 310 members (300 General seats + 10 Women's seats) to ensure parity between East and West Pakistan.
⚖️ The National Assembly held all legislative powers over federal and concurrent list subjects; its laws required Presidential assent, though the President could return laws for reconsideration.
💰 The Assembly controlled the federal budget, possessing the power to reject expenditure requests, except for items charged to the Consolidated Fund List (e.g., salaries of the President and Supreme Court judges).

Federal Structure and Judiciary
🔗 A federal structure was established with power distribution across three lists: Federal, Provincial, and Concurrent, with a traditionally strong Center possessing emergency powers.
👨‍⚖️ An independent judiciary was created, topped by the Supreme Court, with High Courts in each province, responsible for interpreting the Constitution and protecting fundamental rights.
✍️ The judiciary could issue writs (like Habeas Corpus) to enforce fundamental rights, which were provided but subject to suspension by the state during emergencies.

Islamic Character and State Policy
☪️ The Constitution's Preamble was based on the Objectives Resolution, asserting that sovereignty belongs solely to Allah Almighty.
📜 It mandated that no law should conflict with the teachings of Islam, requiring a commission to bring existing laws into conformity with Islamic principles.
💡 The Directive Principles of State Policy included advisories, such as creating conditions for Muslims to live according to Islamic teachings, but these principles were advisory and non-justiciable.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ The 1956 Constitution functioned for approximately 2 years and 7 months, being abrogated by General Ayub Khan's military takeover on October 7, 1958.
➡️ The system emphasized parity between the two provinces (East and West Pakistan) as a core reason for establishing a single-house legislature.
➡️ Fundamental rights were granted but were not unconditional, as the state retained the power to suspend them under specific circumstances or emergencies.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 18, 2025, 14:57 UTC