| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
|---|---|---|
| ১৯৫৬ খসড়া শাসনতন্ত্র বিল পেশ ও তৎসংক্রান্ত বক্তব্য | পাকিস্তান গণপরিষদ | ৯ জানুয়ারী, ১৯৫৬ |
Excerpts from the speech of the Law Minister on the Fourth Draft Constitution
delivered on 9th January 1956.
The Honorable Mr. I. I. Chundrigar: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.... The Constitution Bill, which is placed before you, is the outcome of prolonged discussions in the Coalition Party. The Hon’ble Prime Minister had invited the Leader of the Awami Muslim League Party.
The Leader of the Opposition and the leader of the Awami League Party to join in these discussions. Unfortunately, this party did not accept the offer of the Honorable Prime Minister. Other political parties remained in opposition in the day-to-day running of the Government. The constitution-making is a matter above party politics and it should be the endeavor of every member of the Constituent Assembly to appraise the constitution-making on national and not on a party basis.
I am sure all the members of this House will rise to the occasion and approach the task of constitution-making in a really national spirit. If any party or individual formulate their attitude on constitution making with a view to gaining a political advantage over rival political parties they will in my humble opinion, be rendering great disservice to the country and the nation. Future elections to Parliament must be fought on the programmes of political parties and not on what attitude any political party took in respect of constitution making. As an earnes’ of what I say, I can give the Honorable Members of this House an assurance that if any member of the Constituent Assembly were to make a useful suggestion for improving the Bill, I shall have no hesitation in accepting his suggestion.....
Sir, the constitution of a country may be of a unitary type or of federal type. We have in this bill provided for a federal type of constitution.
If you will look into it closely, you will find that it is of federal type and your criticism is unjustified.
The Leader of the Opposition say that if I look into it more closely I will find it of a unitary type. Well, I never expected the Leader of the Opposition to betray such a colossal ignorance of constitutional law. In the case of a country where there are provinces with certain legislative powers and certain executive powers and there is a Federal Government or a Central Government call it by whatever name you will - which has also legislative powers and executive powers, then it automatically becomes a federal form of government.
The Honorable Member should know that the Government of India Act, 1919, was not the Constitution of a free country. The Constitution of 1935 was passed on a Federal pattern.
