18TH CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND REJUVENATION OF PAKISTAN’S PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: AN ANALYSIS

Abstract

This article is the critical analysis of the 18th amendment to a renewal of the parliamentary system. In Pakistan’s Parliamentary history, the Eighteenth amendment considered an important milestone and it empowered parliament more than ever before. The 18th amendment of the constitution of Pakistan was passed by the parliament in 2010, from the last 37 years of the constitutional history; just the first decade of the 21st century was bringing the hope of development for Pakistan, which was to adopt the 18th amendment in the constitution. It eliminates the Presidential Powers unilaterally to dissolve or suspend the Parliament and revolves Pakistan from a semi-presidential system to the parliamentary form of government. The supremacy of Parliament, Judicial Commission, and an independent Election Commission has been reformed on an institutional basis. The eighteenth amendment presented a step forward that encompasses many missteps to creating an economic union and has reinforced an unfashionable model that is ‘pot belly’ (federalism of provinces), whereas another model is an ‘Hourglass’ (federalism of local government). These two models are more suitable according to the circumstances of Pakistan. The 18th amendment has reinstated the parliamentary and federal spirit and reinstated the parliamentary character of Pakistan’s Constitution, which was subverted during military rules. The paper analyzes how the eighteenth amendment empowered parliament more than ever before and how better results have appeared with development. The paper also analyzes that after the constitution making in 1973how the eighteenth amendment marks the 2nd twist towards democracy. The research work is analytical as well as descriptive in nature.