The Parliament of Pakistan: A History of Institution-Building and (Un)Democratic Practices, 1971-1977

by Mahboob Hussain

Overview

The book highlights the working of the parliament of Pakistan in the 1970s. The author examines the role of the parliament, how it functioned, and evolved over the 1971-7 period. He focuses on concepts such as autonomy, complexity, differentiation, durability, and sovereignty, providing insight on the functioning of political regimes and parliaments in postcolonial states. The book lists the strengths and weaknesses of the parliament and initiates a compelling discussion to establish a correlation between its functioning and the emergence of undemocratic practices in Pakistan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199405565
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	12/29/2020
Pages:	332
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 6.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Mahboob Hussain

Mahboob Hussain is an Associate Professor, Department of History & Pakistan Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore. He completed his PhD from Pakistan Study Centre, Punjab University, Lahore and Postdoctoral from University of Oxford, UK.

Table of Contents

Foreword Matthew McCartney xi

Introduction Mian Raza Rabbani xvii

Acknowledgements xix

List of Abbreviations xxiii

1 Institution Building in Pakistan: A Conceptual Framework 1

Institution of Parliament-Historical Context 1

Political Institutionalisation under Colonial Rule 3

2 The Parliament in Pakistan: A Brief Survey 18

The Composition of the First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan 18

Contribution and Achievements of the First Legislature of Pakistan 20

Formation of the Second Constituent Assembly (1955-8) 27

Ayub Khan Era: The Parliament under the Presidential System 33

The Second Assembly under Ayub Khan 37

3 Formation, Complexity, and Differentiation of Parliament 48

The National Assembly 48

Formation 48

Professional Background of the Parliamentarians 64

Gender 65

Educational Qualification 66

Age Group 66

The Senate 66

Formation 66

Working Relationship Between the two Houses 69

Parliamentary Committees 73

Opposition and the Process of Legislation 75

Use of Rules by the Speaker of the Assembly or Chairman of the Senate 83

4 Sovereignty of Parliament as a Constituent Assembly 89

The Tripartite Accord for the Constitution 91

The Interim Constitution 1972 94

Meeting of Parliamentary Party Leaders 97

Report of the Constitution Committee 98

Dismissal of the NAP-JUI Government in Balochistan 100

The Framing of the Constitution 100

Formation of United Democratic Front (UDF) 103

5 Parliament's Durability: Efficiency on National Issues (1973-7) 114

Proclamation of Emergency 115

The Qadiani Issue 118

Foreign Policy and the Parliament 130

Foreign Policy Debates 130

The Budget Session Debate 132

Issue-oriented Debate 133

The Question Hour 133

Recognition of Bangladesh 134

Exit from the Commonwealth 137

The Simla Agreement 137

Socio-economic Reforms and the Parliament 142

The Balochistan Government 145

6 Establishing Autonomy: Relation of the Parliament with Other Institutions 155

The Executives Influence over the Parliament 155

The Cabinet and the Parliament 165

Army vs the Parliament 168

How the Assembly Tackled the Army? 173

Creation of the Federal Security Force 175

Civil Bureaucratic Obstacles in the Way of the Parliament 177

Reduction in the Powers of the Judiciary 184

Political Parties and the Parliament 188

The Ruling Party-Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) 191

The Media and the Parliament 193

Relations of Parliamentarians with One Another 197

Training in Parliamentary Affairs 201

7 Conclusion 205

Notes 217

Bibliography 251

Annexures 263

I Party Position in Legislatures 264

II List of Candidates returned to the National Assembly of Pakistan from National Constituencies, 1970 265

III Facsimile: Memorandum of Settlement PPP, ANP, JUI 273

IV Facsimile: Signatures of the Constitution Committee, December 1972 278

V List of Bills Passed in the Senate of Pakistan, 1973-1977 279

VI List of Acts Passed by the National Assembly, 1972-1977 284

VII A Chronology of Events related to Parliament, 1972-1977 294

Index 299