<P> After nine years of efforts, Pakistan was successful in framing a constitution . The Constituent Assembly adopted it on 29 February 1956, and it was enforced on 23 March 1956, proclaiming Pakistan to be an Islamic republic . </P> <P> The Constitution of 1956 was lengthy and detailed; it contained 234 articles divided into thirteen parts and six schedules . The Constitution of 1956 provided for federal system with the principle of parity between East Pakistan and West Pakistan . The Federal Legislature was to perform like the British Parliament . The Centre was invested with such powers as to take unilateral action in emergency and it could influence the provincial autonomy . </P> <P> The Constitution of 1956 provided for the parliamentary form of government, where real executive authority was vested in a cabinet, collectively responsible to the legislature . The cabinet was presided over by the Prime Minister . The Constitution declared that there would be only one house of parliament known as the National Assembly and equality between the two Wings (i.e. East Pakistan and West Pakistan) was maintained in it . The Governor General was replaced by a President, who was to be elected by the Electoral College of Pakistan composed of members of the National Assembly and Provincial Assembly . </P> <P> Familiar democratic rights and freedoms such as freedom of speech and expression, of assembly and association, of movement and of profession were all provided in the Constitution, with the usual qualifications . With regards to civil rights, familiar rights such as rights of life, liberty and property were granted, again with the usual qualifications and safeguards . The judiciary was given power to enforce the fundamental rights and the courts were to decide if a law was repugnant to any provisions of the fundamental rights . </P>

Constitutional issues of pakistan from 1947 to 1956