Legal Framework Order
Encyclopedia
The Legal Framework Order, 2002 was issued by Pakistan
i president Pervez Musharraf
in August 2002. It provided for the general elections of 2002 and the revival of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan
, but added numerous amendments to the Constitution. The following month, the Supreme Court overruled Musharraf, ruling that the amendments would have to be ratified by Parliament in the manner provided in the unamended 1973 Constitution — the amendments would have to be approved by two-thirds of both houses of the bicameral body.
After the October 2002 general elections
, although Musharraf's supporters had a majority in Parliament, they did not have the required two-thirds supermajority
to ratify the Legal Framework Order. Parliament was effectively deadlocked by strident opposition from Musharraf's opponents for over a year. In December 2003, a faction was persuaded to vote for a compromise amendment bill, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan
. With this amendment, parts of the Legal Framework Order were incorporated into the Constitution.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i president Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
in August 2002. It provided for the general elections of 2002 and the revival of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan
Constitution of Pakistan
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the supreme law of Pakistan. Known as the Constitution of 1973, it was drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and, following additions by the opposition parties, was approved by the legislative assembly on April 10, 1973...
, but added numerous amendments to the Constitution. The following month, the Supreme Court overruled Musharraf, ruling that the amendments would have to be ratified by Parliament in the manner provided in the unamended 1973 Constitution — the amendments would have to be approved by two-thirds of both houses of the bicameral body.
After the October 2002 general elections
Pakistani general election, 2002
General elections were held in Pakistan on 10 October 2002 during the military regime of Pervez Musharraf.-Parties and candidates:More than 70 parties, contested the election, the main parties were the Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Group, Muttahida Quami Movement ,...
, although Musharraf's supporters had a majority in Parliament, they did not have the required two-thirds supermajority
Supermajority
A supermajority or a qualified majority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level or type of support which exceeds a simple majority . In some jurisdictions, for example, parliamentary procedure requires that any action that may alter the rights of the minority has a supermajority...
to ratify the Legal Framework Order. Parliament was effectively deadlocked by strident opposition from Musharraf's opponents for over a year. In December 2003, a faction was persuaded to vote for a compromise amendment bill, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan
Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan
The Constitution Act, 2003 was an amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan passed in December 2003, after over a year of political wrangling between supporters and opponents of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf....
. With this amendment, parts of the Legal Framework Order were incorporated into the Constitution.