Unlike the US Constitution which runs in 17 pages, more than half of which consist of amendments, the Pakistani Constitution contains detailed stipulations and rules for the functioning of the parliament and the federal and provincial governments.
However, there are no penalties for not implementing the constitutional stipulations. The result is that ambitious men and women attain power by hook or by crook and then simply ignore their constitutional responsibilities.
The Pakistani electorate which is mostly illiterate and impoverished is totally unaware of its
constitutional rights. It does not know that it is being constantly short-changed, and in the case of the
rural population that is utterly oppressed by the land and mill owners it is even afraid to find out. The
result is that the same irresponsible and self-seeking fortune hunters are returned to power in every
election on the basis of the same empty promises.
To ensure that office holders in government take their responsibilities seriously, it is imperative that
the following clauses be included in the Constitution in appropriate places. If the politicians are not
interested in doing so, the Supreme Court judges should find some way to incorporate these in their
judgments.
1. Any violation of the terms of the Constitutional oath of office that an individual takes shall be
considered an act of treason.
2. Any prime minister or chief minister who fails to implement any stipulation of the Constitution
applicable to his or her government shall be barred from taking part in politics and contesting elections for life.
3. Any speaker, deputy or acting speaker of national or provincial assembly who suspends rules or fails to implement Constitutional provisions or stipulations applicable to his or her office in relation to respective assembly's functioning shall be barred from taking part in politics and contesting elections for life.
Obviously, these clauses can not be applied retrospectively as it would disqualify almost the entire body politic, judiciary, military etc.
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