The First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan came into existence under Indian Independence Act 1947 at the time

of independence! Its roots "ent back to 194# "hen elections for constituent assembly of $nited India "ere held to decide the destiny of All India %uslim &ea'ue! First meetin' of constituent assembly of united India "as held on 19th (ecember 194# but %uslim &ea'ue boycotted it since they demanded a separate constituent assembly for Pakistan! )ith the acceptance of *rd +une plan a separate constituent assembly "as formulated for Pakistan! The inau'ural session of the first constituent assembly of Pakistan "as held in ,arachi in Au'ust 1947! %r! +!-! %andal "as elected as temporary chairman of Constituent Assembly of Pakistan! .ubse/uently +innah "as selected as the president of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 11th Au'ust 1947 and %aul0i Tami1uddin ,han as its (eputy President! The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan functioned from 1947 to 1924 and in0ol0ed t"o ma3or parties4the %uslim &ea'ue representin' all %uslims "ith the exception of fe" and The Con'ress Party representin' the t"el0e million 5indus in Pakistan! There "ere #9 members in the constituent assembly6 this number "as increased to 79 later in order to 'i0e representation to princely states and refu'ees! The mode of elections "as on the basis of separate electorates! There "as a clear ma3ority of %uslim &ea'ue in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan "ith #7 members out of the total 79! The second ma3or party "as Pakistan -ational Con'ress "ith 11 members6 and the third party "as A1ad 8roup "ith * members a number "hich later decreased to 1! The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan "as not able to "ork properly because its seats remained empty and some members mi'rated to India! %embers of Constituent Assembly of Pakistan "ere simultaneously allo"ed to take seats of Pro0incial assembly or they can be Chief %inisters or members of Central or Pro0incial Cabinet! $nder the Indian Independence Act Constituent Assembly of Pakistan "as 'i0en t"o tasks 9 to prepare a Constitution and to act as the federal le'islature! The functions of central le'islature under the 8o0ernment of India Act 19*2 "ere 'ranted to the Constituent Assembly! As a constitution makin' body it "as completely independent! The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan could amend the independence act by a simple ma3ority and pass la"s6 moreo0er no la" could be made "ithout its appro0al! :0ery bill that "as passed needed to be si'ned by the President of Constituent Assembly of Pakistan! Thou'h there "as no opposition in the Constituent Assembly but there "ere 'roups that "ere critical of the &ea'ue! ;n the left "as Iftikharuddin a former con'ressmen and a communist! ;n ri'ht "ere the reli'ious critics like %aulana .habir Ahmad ;ssmani! The first constituent assembly setup se0eral committees to carry out its tasks! %ost important of these

"as the <asic Principles Committee6 it "as assi'ned the task to report in accordance "ith the ;b3ecti0es =esolution on the main principles by "hich the constitution of Pakistan "as to be framed! <asic Principles Committee setup three sub committees and a special committee named Talimaat>i> Islamia "hich consisted of scholars to ad0ice on the reli'ious matters arisin' out of ;b3ecti0es =esolution! <asic Principles Committee submitted its interim report in .eptember 1927 and the final report in (ecember 192?! Another important committee of the Constituent Assembly "as on the @Fundamental =i'hts of the Citi1ens of PakistanA and on @%atters =elatin' to %inoritiesA! It di0ided itself into t"o sections one dealin' "ith fundamental ri'hts and the other "ith matters relatin' to minorities! Interim report of this committee "as adopted by Constituent Assembly in 1927 and the final report in 1924! ;thers committees of the constituent assembly "ere the .tate -e'otiatin' Committee "hich dealt "ith the /uestion of representation of princely states and the Tribal Areas -e'otiatin' Committee dealin' "ith matters related to tribal areas! The pro'ress of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan can be summed up as follo"sB 1? %arch 1949 9 ;b3ecti0es =esolution passed by the Constituent Assembly on aims and ob3ecti0e of future constitution! This report "as "ell recei0ed by the citi1ens of Pakistan! 7 .eptember 1927 9 the interim report of <asic Principles Committee "as presented to the constituent assembly! This step ho"e0er marked as the be'innin' of decline in the popularity of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan! This report "as critici1ed mainly by :ast Pakistan! # ;ctober 1927 9 interim report of the committee on Fundamental =i'hts of the Citi1ens of Pakistan matters relatin' to %inorities "as adopted by Constituent Assembly of Pakistan! This report 'ot a comparati0ely better response! ?? (ecember 192? 9 the final report of <asic Principles Committee "as presented! This report "as also critici1ed because of opposition in the Pun3ab! 7 ;ctober 192* 9 Constitutional impasse "as o0er and formation of federal le'islature "as resol0ed by the @%uhammad Ali FormulaA! This report "as "idely "elcomed and helped the Constituent Assembly re'ain in popularity! ?1 .eptember 1924 9 the <asic Principles CommitteesA re0ised =eport "as appro0ed by Constituent Assembly of Pakistan! The final sketch of constitution "as prepared and the Constituent Assembly "as near to the completion of its purpose! <ut at this point the Constituent Assembly "as suspended by the 8o0ernor 8eneral 8hulam %uhammad on ?4th ;ctober 1924! 5e stated that the Constituent Assembly had lost the confidence of the people6 this ruined the efforts of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan "hich had

been "orkin' to"ards formulatin' a 0iable constitution for se0en years!