1947–1956: The Interim Period

• Governed under Government of India Act 1935 (adapted) — no indigenous constitution for 9 years
• Causes of delay: East-West parity dispute, language controversy (Bengali vs Urdu), death of Jinnah (1948) & Liaquat Ali Khan (1951), weak party structure
• Objectives Resolution (1949) — set ideological direction (sovereignty belongs to Allah)

1956 Constitution

• Parliamentary federal system
• President: Muslim, over 40, chooses PM, emergency powers to dissolve assembly
• PM: real executive, chooses cabinet from National Assembly
• Unicameral National Assembly — 300 members, adult franchise
• One Unit Scheme — merged 4 West Pakistan provinces into one, to balance East Pakistan's population majority
• Collapsed in 2 years — Iskander Mirza abrogated it 7 Oct 1958, imposed martial law; Ayub Khan took over within 3 weeks

1962 Constitution (Ayub Khan)

• Presidential system (not parliamentary)
• Based on Basic Democracies system (introduced 1959) — indirect, tiered electoral college (~80,000 "Basic Democrats")
• Unicameral legislatures at centre & provinces
• Institutionalized military role in politics — legalized generals as PM/Defence Minister
• Abrogated 1969 when Ayub resigned, Yahya Khan imposed martial law

1973 Constitution

• Passed under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after 1971 loss of East Pakistan
• Parliamentary federal system, still in force today (with amendments)