18th Ammendment
XVIII AMMENDMENT
“This is the day of members who despite differences of opinion kept their integrity and proved that as people’s representatives they are capable of achieving anything for the sake of the nation,” Mr. Raza Rabbani
General
In our quest for a stable, viable and democratic political system, responsive to the aspirations of the people of Pakistan we have experimented with a number of system variations. The experimentation started with All India Act of 1935, which was adopted with a few modifications as the interim constitution on Independence. In a cyclic mode, through colonial form of government, West Minister style of parliamentary democracy, martial laws and a hybrid presidential form of government with controlled democracy, the experimentation followed somewhat similar pattern at different times in the post-independence period.
The year 1973 marked with passage of great constitution of 1973. Constitution ensured parliamentary form of government. However the cat mouse game for power forced some amendments in the constitution 18th amendment being one out of them.
The scope of this paper is to acquaint the readers with the 18th amendment and its effects on Pakistani political system.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The 1973 Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan promises Parliamentary System of Government with the President of Pakistan as head of the state and a popularly elected Prime Minister as head of government. Unfortunately, over a period of time, in the lust of power few powerful figures have made some amendments to the constitution. These amendments changed the constitution so as to be biased towards the Presidential System.
EIGHTH AMENDMENT (Constitution Act 1985) The Constitution (Eighth Amendment) Act, 1985 was an amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan passed in 1985. It changed Pakistan's government from a Parliamentary system to a Semi-presidential system by giving the President a number of additional powers.
“This is the day of members who despite differences of opinion kept their integrity and proved that as people’s representatives they are capable of achieving anything for the sake of the nation,” Mr. Raza Rabbani
General
In our quest for a stable, viable and democratic political system, responsive to the aspirations of the people of Pakistan we have experimented with a number of system variations. The experimentation started with All India Act of 1935, which was adopted with a few modifications as the interim constitution on Independence. In a cyclic mode, through colonial form of government, West Minister style of parliamentary democracy, martial laws and a hybrid presidential form of government with controlled democracy, the experimentation followed somewhat similar pattern at different times in the post-independence period.
The year 1973 marked with passage of great constitution of 1973. Constitution ensured parliamentary form of government. However the cat mouse game for power forced some amendments in the constitution 18th amendment being one out of them.
The scope of this paper is to acquaint the readers with the 18th amendment and its effects on Pakistani political system.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The 1973 Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan promises Parliamentary System of Government with the President of Pakistan as head of the state and a popularly elected Prime Minister as head of government. Unfortunately, over a period of time, in the lust of power few powerful figures have made some amendments to the constitution. These amendments changed the constitution so as to be biased towards the Presidential System.
EIGHTH AMENDMENT (Constitution Act 1985) The Constitution (Eighth Amendment) Act, 1985 was an amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan passed in 1985. It changed Pakistan's government from a Parliamentary system to a Semi-presidential system by giving the President a number of additional powers.