Writing an essay about a constitution which has undergone as many changes as Pakistan's did is not an easy task. One cannot look at a final product just stating what the current situation is and how people do get along with it. Understanding any constitution and especially the Pakistani one is a complex process of drawing a picture of history - a history of a religion, a history of a people and a history of lasting political changes. Trying to understand the Pakistani constitution is trying to understand how this constitution evolved; trying to understand why the Pakistanis are more content under the currentdictatorshipof Pervez Musharraf than they have been for a long time before; trying to understand the evolution of one of the world religions, namely Islam, and how it influenced the constitution; trying to get an understanding of what happened in this country. After having read this essay one will most probably come to the conclusion that this constitution is in no way finished, that it will undergo changes for the next 58 years as it has done for the last 58 years. Another conclusion will be that to date almost all of the Pakistani leaders failed in one way or the other.
In the following the historical background that established the framework for the country that we look at today will be described - a country ruled by a self proclaimed military dictator; a country with a per capita income of 700 $1per annum; a country which is at constant struggle with its nearest neighbours, namely India and Afghanistan - and relations to Iran and China haven't always been the best as well; a country that has been dependent on subsidies of Western nations, especially the United States for decades; a country that suffers from deep inner disruptions between fundamentalists and moderate or more liberal, more democratic Muslims; but most of all, a very young country still searching for its very own way to become an "Islamic democracy" one day. In order to outline the historical development of Pakistan and finally describe the current situation of this nation I will go into detail about every legislative period, which important amendments to the constitution were made during that span of time and what the effects on the people were always taking in account the most controversial subject of religion and how it was exercised by the leaders.
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction.
- 2 Emergence of a country – the great forefathers Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the theory of two nations …......
- 3 The evolution of a constitution – political changes and their influence on the constitution
- 3.1 General problems in creating a Pakistani constitution......
- 4 Pakistan under its different leaders.
- 4.1 The Khan's: Liaqat Ali, Ayub and Yahya Khan
- 4.2 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
- 4.3 Zia-ul-Haq..
- 4.4 Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif..
- 4.5 Pervez Musharraf.
- 5 The Constitution: How it worked throughout time..
- 7 Summary.
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay aims to understand the complex evolution of the Pakistani constitution, exploring its historical development and the political changes that shaped it. The paper seeks to analyze the impact of various leaders on the constitution, the role of religion, and the ongoing struggle between secular and theocratic influences. It examines the persistent challenges faced by Pakistan, including economic disparities, regional tensions, and internal conflict between religious factions.
- The historical background and origins of Pakistan.
- The influence of Muhammad Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah's vision on the formation of the country and its constitution.
- The challenges of creating a constitution in a diverse and religiously complex society.
- The evolution of the constitution under different leaders and their impact on Pakistani society.
- The role of religion and its impact on political and constitutional development.
Chapter Summaries
The first chapter introduces the complexities of analyzing Pakistan's constitution, emphasizing the need to understand the historical, religious, and political context. Chapter two examines the origins of Pakistan, focusing on the Two-Nations-Theory proposed by Muhammad Iqbal and its development by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It highlights the formation of the state and the challenges of establishing a unified national identity. Chapter three delves into the difficulties of creating a constitution for Pakistan, analyzing the religious, regional, and political obstacles. It discusses the ongoing conflict between secular and theocratic interpretations of Islam and the role of influential figures like the ulema.
Keywords
The key terms and concepts explored in this essay include Pakistan's constitution, political leadership, Islamic democracy, secularism, theocracy, Two-Nations-Theory, religious influences, regional disparities, historical development, and political evolution.
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- Anna Lippert (Autor), 2005, Pakistan - A young country with many leaders. Did they all fail?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/66055
