OBJECTIVE RESOLUTION 1949 | CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF PAKISTAN | PAKISTAN STUDIES | SALIENT FEATURES

OBJECTIVE RESOLUTION 1949 | CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF PAKISTAN | PAKISTAN STUDIES | SALIENT FEATURES







Pakistan came into being on 14th August 1947. At the time of creation of Pakistan.
There was no any constitution in Pakistan. So Quaid-e-Azam enforced All India Act 1935 with certain amendments in the country for the
smooth functioning of the state.



Objective Resolution (1949)
The first prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan presented the Objective
Resolution in the First Constituent Assembly, which was passed on March 12th 1949.



Salient Features of the Objective Resolution
The salient features of Objectives Resolution are as follows:






1. Sovereignty of Allah
Sovereignty belongs to Allah Almighty alone, but He has delegated it to the state of Pakistan, and through its people to be exercised as sacred trust within the limits imposed by Him.




2. Islamic Democracy
State will exercise its power and authority through the elected representatives of the people and Islamic democracy will be exercised in the century.





3. Islamic Principles
The Islamic principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice shall fully be followed.



4. Islamic ways of living
The Muslims shall be enabled to live individually and collectively in accordance with the teaching of Quran and Sunah.






5. Protection to Minorities
Adequate provisions shall be made for the minorities to profess, propagate
and practice their religions and develop their cultures and traditions.





6. Federal from of Government
Pakistan shall be a federation, in which provinces will enjoy autonomy within the constitutional limits.




7. Fundamental Rights
Fundamental rights of freedom, equality, and property, expression of thought, belief, worship and association shall be guaranteed to all the citizens of Pakistan.


8. Free Judiciary
Judiciary shall be independent and will work without any political and
economic pressure.




9. National language
Urdu will be the national language of the country.




10. Protection of Boundaries of Pakistan
Protection of water, land and Air boundaries will be protected. It will be the responsibility of the Government the take suitable steps for this purpose.






11. Source of law
It was mentioned in the Objective Resolution that source of law in Pakistan is
Holy Quran and Sunnah. No Law can be formed in Pakistan which is against
Holy Quran and Sunnah.







12. Development of Backward Areas
It was mentioned in the Objective Resolution in 1949 that remote or backward area should be developed equally to other developed areas of the country.





13. Answerable Government
It was mentioned in the Objective Resolution in that Pakistan would be free & independent state. Government of the Pakistan would be bound to make the decisions according to the public opinion and answerable to the people.






14. Democratic System of Government
In 1949, it was declared that democratic system of Government would be established in Pakistan according to the Islamic concepts.





15. National Development
It was also declared in 1949 that the people of Pakistan would be completely independent. Government should provide equal opportunities to the people, for economic and social development of the people. Government will take all possible steps in this regard.





Importance
i) The Objective Resolution is one of the greatest steps after independence. The
objective of establishment of Pakistan has been achieved by the Muslims of
South Asia through this resolution.
(ii) The Objective Resolution has attained the status of Magna Carta in the
constitutional history of Pakistan. It was included as preamble in all the three
constitutions, and its Islamic principles were incorporated in all the
constitutions of Pakistan.
(iii) The approval of Objective Resolution led the representatives of Muslims to
adopt the golden principles of democracy instead of theocracy. They built up
an Islamic state above all the geographical, racial and national limitations.
(iv) In 1985, President General Zia-ul-Haq made it permanent part of constitution
by an amendment in Constitution.
(v) Objective Resolution rejected the different concepts of secularism in the
country which were present at that time and clarified that Pakistan will be an
Islamic State.
(vi) In Objective Resolution it was declared that minorities should be protected.





Conclusion
Objective Resolution was the first step towards Islamization in Pakistan. No-
doubt Objective Resolution has a great importance in the constitutional history of Pakistan because all the questions related to the rights of the minorities,
basic rights of the people and nature of constitution were described in it.