Legal Framework Order, 1970
LFO | |
---|---|
Territorial extent | Pakistan |
Commenced | 30 March, 1970 |
Legislative history | |
Bill title | Legal Framework Order |
Introduced by | Yahya Khan |
Repeals | |
Bangladesh 16 December, 1971 Pakistan 16 December, 1971 | |
Summary | |
| |
Status: Repealed |
The Legal Framework Order, 1970 (LFO) was a
Pakistan would be a democratic country and the complete name of the country would be the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.Foundation and proposals
Gen. Yahya Khan had taken over from his predecessor President
Yahya Khan held talks with East Pakistan's Governor, Vice-Admiral Ahsan, and concluded that Sheikh Mujib would soften his demands after the election. Yahya instituted the Legal Framework Order (LFO) on March 30, 1970, with the aim to secure the future constitution.[5]
Provisions
The LFO called for direct elections for a
The LFO also stipulated that the future Constitution was to include five principles.[9]
- The state's Islamic ideology and reserving the role of the Head of State for Muslims exclusively.
- Free and regular elections, both provincial and federal, based on provincial populations and universal suffrage.
- Judicial independence and human rights for the citizenry.
- Assurance of maximum autonomy for the provinces while protecting the country's territorial sovereignty and providing sufficient powers to the Federal Government for functioning both internally and externally.
- Providing national participation to all citizens with the removal of all regional and provincial disparities.
Outcome
The LFO met a long-standing demand of Bengalis by accepting proportional representation, to the chagrin of many West Pakistanis who resisted the notion of an East Pakistani-led government.[4] Many East Pakistanis criticised the LFO's reservation for the President the power to authenticate the Constitution. Yahya Khan assured Bengalis that this was only a procedural formality and necessary for the democratisation of the country.[10] Yahya Khan ignored reports from the intelligence agencies about the increase in Indian influence in East Pakistan and that Mujib intended to tear up the LFO after the elections.[11]
Contrary to Yahya Khan's opinion that the Awami League would not win the elections in the East wing,
References
- ^ a b "Emerging Discontent (1966 - 1970)". Library of Congress Country Studies. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-300-10147-8.
- ^ a b c d e "Emerging Discontent (1966 - 1970)". Library of Congress Country Studies. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-300-10147-8.
- ISBN 978-0-312-21606-1.
When this duly arrived. the western wing's nightmare scenario materialised: either a constitutional deadlock, or the imposition in the whole of the country of the Bengalis' longstanding commitment to unfettered democracy and provincial autonomy. Yahya had made some provision to safeguard the constitutional outcome through the promulgation of the Legal Framework Order (LFO) on 30 March 1970.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-312-21606-1.
The LFO laid down that the future National Assembly which would also frame the constitution should consist of 313 members of whom 169 would be from East Pakistan.
- ISBN 978-0-312-21606-1.
The constitution it produced could only pass into law if it was authenticated by the President...It set a deadline of 120 days for the framing of a constitution by the National Assembly and reserved to the President the right to authenticate it.
- ISBN 978-0-520-07665-5.
- ISBN 978-0-312-21606-1.
It would also have to enshrine the following five principles: an Islamic ideology in which the Head of State should be a Muslim; free periodical federal and provincial elections based on population and on universal adult franchise; the independence of the judiciary along with the guarantee of the fundamental rights of the citizens; the provision of maximum provincial autonomy in a federal system which would provide adequate powers to the Central Government to enable it to discharge its responsibilities in relation to external and internal affairs and the preservation of the territorial integrity of the country; full opportunities to the people of all regions to participate in national affairs together with the removal by statutory and other measures in a specified period of economic and other disparities between provinces and regions.
- ISBN 978-0-312-21606-1.
The President's power of authentication was criticised in East Pakistan but Yahya sought to allay fears during a visit to Dhaka early in April. He dismissed this as a 'procedural formality' and maintained that he was 'not doing all this for fun' but was earnest in his pledge to restore democracy.
- ISBN 978-0-312-21606-1.
He also refused to countenance intelligence service reports both of Mujib's aim to tear up the LFO after the elections and establish Bangladesh and of India's growing involvement in the affairs of East Pakistan.
- ISBN 978-0-312-21606-1.
From November 1969 until the announcement of the national election results, he discounted the possibility of an Awami League landslide in East Pakistan.