Those who tore the Constitution are traitors: Zardari

Says time will come when dictators, usurpers will face punishment; Rabbani says nation must pledge to counter attempts to abrogate Constitution; Sardar Ayaz says upholding of Constitution nation’s destiny; Constitution Day today

ISLAMABAD: The sanctity of the Constitution demanded that it should not only be acted upon in letter and spirit and jealously safeguarded but also treasonous elements should be punished who had abrogated and subverted this foundational document of the state, the basic social contract between the state and citizen and the glue that binds its federating units.

In a statement, former president Asif Ali Zardari said this on Saturday in a message on the eve of the Constitution Day April 10 when the unanimously adopted Constitution of Pakistan was passed by the National Assembly in 1973.

“It is a national disgrace that a dictator abrogated the Constitution in 1977 later ridiculed it as ‘a mere 15-page document’ that he boasted could be torn at will,” he said.

“Tearing the Constitution is tearing the soul of the nation. Ridiculing it is ridiculing the people. Those who tear and ridicule the Constitution are the traitors of the nation. Dictators and usurpers must be punished; they will be in the fullness of time,” he said.

The former president also commended the Senate for taking the lead in observing April 10 as the Constitution Day.

It is a timely initiative that is needed to highlight the importance of jealously safeguarding the Constitution and relentlessly pursuing those who have subverted it. The Senate was the first elected House which unanimously called for a treason trial of a dictator. It is natural that it should have taken this lead in commemorating this day.

Congratulating the democratic parties and people, the former president expressed the hope that the celebrations today would enhance the awareness of the people of Pakistan to the importance of safeguarding the Constitution.

Asif Ali Zardari paid glowing tributes to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for “forging a historic consensus among all the provinces, political parties and shades of opinion” in making the Constitution.

He also lauded Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as the icon of democracy and constitutionalism and countless political leaders and workers belonging to different political parties who rendered huge sacrifices for the cause of safeguarding democracy and the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani on Saturday said that the nation should renew its pledge on the Constitution of Pakistan Day (April 10) to continue to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and countervail all efforts of sabotaging its democratic, parliamentary and federal character.

“I extend my felicitations to the people of Pakistan on the occasion of the Constitution Day. This day is being celebrated for the second consecutive year to pay tribute to all those known and unknown political workers whose determination and struggle successfully culminated into reality on April 10, 1973, when this nation got a federal and parliamentary Constitution,” he said in a message on the eve of the day.

He said, “The endeavours of the architects of the 1973 Constitution, and members of the then National Assembly are also remembered and appreciated for overcoming all the challenges and providing us with a document that provides provincial autonomy and secures fundamental rights.

“It is a day to renew our pledge that we will continue to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and will countervail all efforts that are aimed at sabotaging its democratic, parliamentary and federal character,” he remarked.

“I am enthralled to congratulate the whole nation on this prestigious Constitution Day. A distinctive landmark in our history that points out to the sovereignty with which the founding fathers of this land upheld its dignity,” said the Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly Ms Rahila Durrani in her message.

She remarked, “This occasion calls for special remembrances to cherish the freedom that is the most valued possession in the life of any civilised person. The present Constitution which was drafted and passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan on April 10, 1973 and enforced on August 14, 1973 is a unique written form of declaration that defines the legal course of our country”.

The speaker noted that its flexibility not only differentiated it from the constitutions of other major countries, rather it also allows modifications, with the consent of a 2/3rd majority of parliament, to fit it to the shifting times. It also marked the republican form of government, terming the country the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. “The strong sense of unity that is one of the foundations of this land and the motto of our nation’s father, Quaid-i-Azam, is kept strengthened by making a federal form of government and keeping all provinces connected through one center,” she noted.

“I congratulate Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani on holding a Constitution Day. The Constitution is the most sacred document in any democratic country. Since independence in August 1947, efforts were made to make a consensus Constitution by different regimes, so as to run the affairs of the country in a democratic way, but could not succeed, as the same were not made by taking all segments of society on board,” said Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani.

Earlier, he noted, a Constitutional Committee was set up from a cross section of politicians from different parties to draft a new Constitution. Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto succeeded in preparing document upon which all the political parties having absolute diversity in thoughts agreed upon the document and approved unanimously the Constitution of 1973 which was passed on April 10, 1973 and presidential assent was given on April 12, 1973, however a number of amendments had been made therein.

In 2008, he recalled after democratic elections, parliament decided to erase the aberration from the Constitution brought about by repeated dictatorial regimes, to revive it and bring it to the true spirit of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973. A Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms was nominated under the Chairmanship of Senator Raza Rabbani of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Committee succeeded in drafting the historic amendment that was passed unanimously by the House and which attained the status of Constitution (18th Amendment) Act, 2010 on April 8, 2010 and by the Senate of Pakistan on April 15, 2010 unanimously. It was assented to by the then President Asif Ali Zardari on April 19, 2010.

“The powers of the President of Pakistan of dissolving parliament unilaterally were removed, turning Pakistan from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic and renaming the North-West Frontier Province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well. It is clearly mentioned in the preamble of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 that the sovereignty of the entire universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone and principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed, so that the people of Pakistan may prosper and attain their rightful and honoured place amongst the nations of the world and make their contribution towards international peace, happiness and well being of humanity. We should celebrate Constitution Day with patriotism and enthusiasm and unity,” he said.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that the supremacy of the Constitution was the nation’s ultimate destination that guaranteed democracy, fundamental rights and security for each and every citizen of the state.

He said that the sanctity of this sacred document was immense which must be upheld at any cost.

He expressed these views on the eve of “Constitution Day” being celebrated today (Sunday) across the country. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq highlighted the historical significance of the day and said that 43 years ago the chosen representatives of the first democratically elected legislature of the country - united by common purpose and an unwavering resolve - unanimously passed the Constitution of the country as a guiding principle to journey towards a democratic, peaceful and prosperous country.

He lamented that periodic interventions by undemocratic forces by holding the Constitution in abeyance set back the dream of a strong federation and democratic culture. Such misadventures proved detrimental to the state of security, human rights and development of the country, he added. Remembering the sacrifices rendered by the political forces of the country to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution, the National Assembly speaker said that the democratic forces with unrelenting resolve had faced enormous challenges while confronting the tyrannical regimes to strive for reinstating the Constitution and restoring democracy in the country. He paid rich tribute to those unsung heroes who ceased to exist in the history but made every effort to defend the sanctity of the Constitution by facing torture, imprisonment and even execution enforced by the autocratic regimes.

He said that by virtue of such struggles, the elected representatives successfully restored the Constitution of 1973 in its true spirit by adopting the historic 18th Constitutional Amendment with collective wisdom of all the political forces in the same month after 37 years. He said that it was now up to the current political leadership to ensure the implementation of the Constitution in its essence by guarding the fundamental rights of everyone by delegating the powers to federating units. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that this historic day provided an opportunity to reiterate the pledge to protect, preserve and defend each and every word of this sacred document that united as a nation to live together with liberty, social justice and equality.