Supreme Court debated whether Pakistan can be declared a secular state or not
Supreme Court of Pakistan (Photo courtesy: www.pakistantoday.com.pk)
Islamabad: Some 68 years after gaining independence, Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Monday debated whether Pakistan can be declared a secular state or not. Hearing petitions against the 18th and 21st Constitutional Amendments, a 17-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, said the if there is popular demand for this change then appropriate measures to do so need to be underway.
The Chief Justice asked if such a process will be held through a constituent assembly and another judge enquired, “If a political party whose manifesto supported such a declaration comes to power, how does that party plan on making the country secular?”
In 1949, the second constituent assembly of Pakistan had passed the Objectives Resolution which was proposed by the first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, proclaiming that the future constitution of Pakistan would not be modelled entirely on a European pattern, but on the ideology and democratic faith of Islam.
The legislative elections in 1954 saw the Awami League coming to power and its leader Huseyn Suhrawardy becoming country?s first Bengali Prime Minister. Promulgation of Constitution in 1956 led to Pakistan declaring itself Islamic Republic (official name) with the adoption of parliamentary democratic system of government.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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