Critical Analysis/Drawbacks Of The

Constitution Of 1956:
 iii) Authority Delegated To The People:

According to the Constitution, the authority

was delegated to the people of Pakistan and
the people of Pakistan could be Muslims and
non-Muslims.

iv) Interpretation Of Quran And Sunnah:

Interpretation of the Quran and Sunnah was

referred to the legislature rather than
theologians. Hussain Shaheed Suharwardi
said,” you are deluding the people by calling it
an Islamic State.”
 v) Response Of East Pakistan:

The people of East Pakistan were

not happy with this constitution
because they were demanding their
share in the government according
to their population because their
population was more than that of
West Pakistan.
 Moreover, they were demanding to

declare the religion of the State as

Islam.
 . But the rulers of the day were not
inclined to do. General Iskander
Mirza said,

 “We cannot run wild on Islam.” So

these controversies gave rise
political and constitutional problems
in the country and ultimately paved
the way for military intervention.
 Causes Of Failure Of The Constitution:

 1) The multi-party system was one of the main

causes of its failure.

 b) General elections were not held up to 1956.

Consequently, the parliamentary system did
not strike roots in country.
 c) The politicians were insincere and preferred
their personal interests over national interests.

d) The eleven-year period from 1947 to 1958

was a period of political instability which
witnessed the rise and fall of nine prime
ministers. These circumstances were not
conducive to democracy which was a hallmark
of the constitution of 1956.
 e) The constitution was modelled on
the One Unit of West Pakistan.
Opponents of the One Unit created
hatred against the Constitution.
 f) Irresponsible and unpatriotic acts of
Ghulam Mohammad destabilized the
democratic process.
 He did not hesitate to dissolve the First
Constituent Assembly. Similarly, the Federal
Court was pressurized to give verdict against
the Sindh High Court which was a mockery of
democracy.
 Later on, Iskander mirza promoted the palace
intrigues which led to frequent rise and fall of
ministries.
 g)
 In the early fifties, the political, geographical,
military and administrative problems of Pakistan
brought economic depression in the country.
 These circumstances led to unemployment,
bribery, hoarding and dearness. The politicians
exploited the situation at the cost of democratic
values.
 Thus, people lost faith in the constitution of 1956.
 h)
 At the time of Independence,
Pakistan did not inherit any
constitutional traditions because it
had yet to frame its own constitution
which suited its particular Islamic
and democratic requirements. As an
interim arrangement, the
government Of India Act, 1935 was
enforced with certain amendments.

 Subsequently, the First Constituent
Assembly took nine years to give to the
country its first constitution in 1956. The
selfish politicians did not miss any
opportunity to damage the image of
democracy.
 The ministries continued to fall like nine

pins even after the enforcement of the

constitution of 1956.
 These circumstances convinced the

military regimes that the Constitution of

1956 was incapable of meeting the
challenges .