By 
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly is preparing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Pakistani Constitution of 1973, a seminal work that established the groundwork for the nation’s democratic and progressive society.
On April 10, 2023, a series of activities will kick off the month-long celebrations in honor of the foundational values of federal parliamentary democracy, social justice, and equality, which were established in the 1973 Constitution.
The Speaker-appointed Parliamentary Advisory Group, which is presided over by seasoned lawmaker Senator Main Raza Rabbani and includes representatives from both houses of the Parliament, has carefully planned out these activities.
The celebrations will be launched by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf laying the cornerstone for the Constitution monument at the location chosen by the advisory committee, in front of the Parliament Lodges, in D-Chowk, Islamabad.
The monument will act as a constant reminder of the Constitution’s significance in the history of the country.
Following that, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony to honor those who battled for democracy and constitutionalism in Pakistan at the Parliament House’s memorial to the unsung heroes of democracy.
A rare display of photographs of the people who drafted the Constitution will also be opened by the speaker. After that, he or she will examine a commemorative stamp and proceed to the second floor of the Parliament to view the original Constitution and other manuscripts.
Parliamentarians and citizens from all walks of life will attend the National Constitution Convention, which will be the celebration’s grand finale and take place in the main assembly hall.
Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chairman of the Advisory Committee Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, and other attendees will pay tribute to the Constitution’s founders and consider how it has been a pillar of democracy, justice, and equality in the nation.
A number of other resolutions related to the Constitution’s recognition as a legally binding document, its inclusion in the national curriculum, a tribute to the Constitution’s framers, and the designation of the State Bank building (the former National Assembly Hall) as a national monument will also be approved by the session.
The joint session of the Parliament, which is set to begin at 4 p.m., will continue the discussions and reflections on the significance of the Constitution in determining Pakistan’s future.
The celebrations marking the Golden Jubilee of the 1973 Constitution are expected to be a turning point in Pakistani history as they honor the concepts and tenets that underpin the nation’s democratic and progressive ethos.
Speech competitions in educational institutions, quiz contests, exhibitions, special television programs, newspaper supplements, the issuance of commemorative coins and stamps, as well as an international constitution convention on May 10, 2023, are just a few of the activities planned for the entire month.
Asif Ali Zardari, a former president, and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the chairman of the PPP and a former foreign minister, emphasized the significance of the 1973 Constitution on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
The country was having problems, according to former president Asif Ali Zardari, because some people had broken the Constitution. He said, “It is the time we all follow the Constitution for the sake of the nation and the country.”
He asserted that the Parliament, the largest court of the people, should have the authority to make future national choices because everyone would have to submit to it.
Asif Ali Zardari reaffirmed his commitment to defending the Constitution. “The people received the 1973 Constitution as a gift from Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Quaid-e-Awam. All of the National Assembly’s members have signed the document, which was created by consensus, he continued.
According to him, the 1973 Constitution’s significance may be measured by the fact that all of the National Assembly’s members, representing a variety of political and religious affiliations, signed the document endorsing it.
He hailed the PPP heroes who made significant sacrifices for the restoration of the Constitution under the leadership of the Mother of Democracy, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and paid respects to all the elected officials who signed the 1973 Constitution.
According to the former president, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s life’s work was to restore the 1973 Constitution to its original text. Via the 18th Constitutional Amendment, he continued, “This was accomplished by restoring the Constitution in its original form.”
The 1973 Constitution, according to PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, is “our national goal and the bond of the federation.”
He asserted that PPP continues to support the Constitution and the democratic system and is committed to finally dislodging the mentality that views the Constitution as nothing more than a piece of paper.
He praised all the political figures who contributed to the creation of a unifying Constitution for the country, saying that the 1973 Constitution is a gift and a testament to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the nation’s first elected prime minister. He continued, “April 10, 1973, is the second most significant day in our country’s history, behind August 14, 1947.
The 1973 Constitution, according to the foreign minister, strengthens the union and is a true expression of Pakistan. “Because our nation is an Islamic one, Islamic teachings serve as the foundation of our Constitution. Because we are a democratic nation, our Constitution ensures our country’s togetherness and unity, he continued.
