 KARACHI: Chairman Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, has emphasised the importance of the constitutional rule.
He was addressing the students and faculty of Behria University at its campus here on Saturday.
The Senate Chairman was of the view that Quaid-i-Azam had envisaged Pakistan to be a tolerant, progressive, welfare state with a federal parliamentary form of government.
He stated that dictatorship is an anti thesis to federalism and parliamentary democracy.
He continued that earlier dictators abrogated the constitution and created instruments of their own choice.
However, after the enactment of 1973 constitution no dictator had the courage to abrogate it as it was consensus document within parliament and the federating units, therefore, it was held in abeyance or suspension.
Senate Chairman pointed out that Zia ul Haq through the 8th Amendment changed the basic structure of the 1973 Constitution and converted it into a quasi-presidential form of government.
The Constitution of 1973, was defaced by the 8th Constitutional Amendment with over 50 amendments seeking to centralize power at Islamabad at the cost of provincial autonomy.
This caused polarization between the federating units amongst themselves and the federation, it led to a feeling of deprivation and affected the national unity.
The 18th Constitutional Amendment converted Pakistan into the concept of participatory federalism and devolved seventeen (17) federal ministries, repealed the Concurrent Legislative List, gave ownership to the provinces of their natural resources and strengthen the Council of Common Interest.
The Chairman Senate said that Pakistan's future lies in democratic polity, transparent governance, tolerance and a society where the citizens are empowered, executive is answerable to parliament and parliament answerable to the people of Pakistan.
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