Source: https://pakistanconstitutionlaw.com/p-l-d-1999-sc-395-3/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 07:09:37+00:00

Document:
(a) Constitution of Pakistan (1973) 232(2)(c),(1), 54(3), 53 & 127Proclamation of Emergency by the President under Art. 232(1) of the Constitution—Federal Government, pursuant to such proclamation of the President issued an order under Art. 232(2)(c) of the constitution directing the Governor of the Province to assume on behalf of the Federal Government all the functions and powers of the Government of that Province and all the powers vested in, or exercisable by, all Bodies or Authorities in the Province other than the Provincial Assembly—Federal Government also ordered the suspension of Arts. 53 &54(3) read with Art. 127 of the Constitution and their application to the Province in so far they related to the powers and functions of Speaker and the Deputy Speaker by the order under Art. 232(2)(c) of the Constitution—Validity—Speaker and Deputy Speaker are integral part of the Provincial Assembly and have been assigned functions and powers under the Constitution as well as under the Rules and Provincial Assembly is incomplete without Speaker and Deputy Speaker—No such power of suspending the functions of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker under Arts. 53(3) & 54(3)of the Constitution is vested in the federal Government by virtue of Art. 232(2)(c) of the Constitution or any other provision of the Constitution or any other provision of the Constitution nor the Federal Government has power to prevent the filling of the vacancy of the post of Speaker in view of the Constitution mandate under Art.108 of the Costitution—Principles.
The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are integral part of the Provincial Assembly. They have been assigned functions and powers under the Constitution as well as under the Rules. Provincial Assembly is incomplete without speaker and deputy speaker.
In the present case two requisitions for summoning the Provincial Assembly of Sindh were submitted which, inter alia, contained items for discussion which could not have been discussed in view of the Order issued under paragraph (c) of clause (2) of Article 232 by the Federal Government assuming through the Governor all functions of the Government of the Province, and all or any of the powers vested in, or exercisable by, any Body or Authority in the Province other than the Provincial Assembly and because of the relevant Rules wherein participation by a Minister or someone on behalf of the Provincial Government is necessary. Probably the Federal Government, in order to avert any ugly situation which might have occasioned, had issued the order suspending the functions of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker under clause (3) of Article 53 and clause(3) of Article 54 of the Constitution without realising its legal implications. No such power is vested in the Federal Government by virtue of paragraph (c) of clause (2) of Article 232 or under any other provision of the Constitution nor the Federal Government has power to prevent the filling of the vacancy of the post of Speaker in view of the Constitutional mandate under Article 108 of the Constitution.
Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Chap. XVI, R.159—Federal Government pursuant to the Proclamation of Emergency by the President under Art. 232(1) of the Constitution issued an order under Art. 232(2)(c) of the Constitution directing the Governor of the Province to assume on behalf of the fedeal Government all the functions and powers of the Government of that province and all the powers vested in or exercisable by all Bodies of Authorities in the Province other than the Provincial Assembly and suspension of application of Arts.53(3) & 54(3) read with Art.127 of the constitution—Effect—so long as the Proclamation of emergency under art. 232(1) of the constitution and the order passed under Are.232(2)(c) of the Constitution remain in force, the Provincial Government and the Provincial Assembly will have to co-exist and to function in terms of the provisions of the constitution—Members of the assembly will have to act/function within the parameters/constraints as provided by the Constitution as well as by the Rules of Assembly—Forum of Provincial Assembly cannot be used to dislodge the Provincial Government which is not representative but is acting under the mandate of Art. 232(2)(c) of the Constitution—Right to speech in the Provincial Assembly is subject to reasonable restriction, inter alia, contained in Chap. XVI, R.159, Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
Proclamation of Emergency by the president under Art. 232(1) of the constitution—Federal Government, pursuant to the Proclamation of Emergency by the President under Art. 232(1) of the Constitution, issued an order under Art,232(2)(c) of the Constitution, directing the Governor of the Province to assume on behalf on the Federal Government all or any of the functions of the Government of the Province, and all or any of the powers vested in, or exercisable by, any Body or Authority in the Province other than the Provincial Assembly, and make such incidental and consequential provisions as appear to the Federal Government to be necessary or desirable for giving effect to the objects of the Proclamation, including provisions for suspending, in whole or in part, the operation of any provision of the Constituion relating to any Body or Authority in the Province and suspension of operation of Arts. 53(3) & 54(3) read with Art.127 of the Constitution—Effect—power to suspend the provisions of the Constitution, relating to any Body or Authority in the Province has been given to the Federal Government in the context of making of incidental or consequential provisions to give effect to the objects of the Proclamation—After assumption of the power by the Federal Government or the Governor on its behalf under Art.232(2)(c), if the Federal Government finds that it is necessary or desirable to suspend in whole or in part any of the provisions relating to any Body or Authority in the Province which includes the Provincial Assembly, to give effect to the object of Proclamation, it is competent to do so subject to provision of Art. 232(4) of the Constitution—Federal Government is, therefore, empowered under Art.232(2)(c) of the Constitution, to suspend in whole or in part any of the provisions of the Constitution relating to the Provincial Assembly, as an incidental and consequential measure, if it appears to the Federal Government to be necessary or desirable to give effect to the objects of Proclamation—If such suspension of the provisions of the Constitution, however, comes in conflict with the exercise of legislative power of the Assembly, then to that extent the suspension of the provisions of the constitution relating to Provincial Assembly will be invalid—Suspension of Arts. 53(3) of the Constitution, by the Federal Government through its order under Art. 232(2)(c) of the Constitution, in so far the order encroached upon the exercise of legislative power of the Provincial Assembly, was declared invalid and of no legal effect—Principles.
A careful consideration of the provisions of Article 232 of the Constitution will show that under its clause (c), the Federal Government or the Governor of the Province on its behalf, while assuming all or any of the functions of the Government of the Province and all or any powers exercisable or vested in any Body or Authority in the Province, is prohibited from assuming the functions or powers of the Provincial Assembly. However, the Federal Government is authorised to make such incidental and consequential provisions as may appear to the Federal Government necessary or desirable for giving effect to the object of the Proclamation, including provision for suspending, in whole or in part, the operation of any provision of the Constitution relating to any Body or Authority in the Province. The contention was that the words “any Body or Authority in the Province” used in the later part of sub-clause (c) of clause (2) of Article 232, do not include “Provincial Assembly” and as such the Federal Government had no authority to suspend any provision of the Constitution relating to the functions and powers of the “Provincial Assembly”. The construction placed on sub-clause (c) of clause (2) of Article 232 of the Constitution by the contender is not in accord with the manifest intention of the Constitution-makers. The words “any Body or Authority in the Province” are wide enough to include the Provincial Assembly. The Constitution-makers were fully aware of this wide connotation of the expression “any Body or Authority in the Province” and that is why, while providing in the first part of Article 232(2)(c) that the Federal Government may assume all or any of the powers exercisable by “any Body or Authority” in the Province specifically excluded “Provincial Assembly” from its the expression”any Body or Authority in the Province” did not include Provincial Assembly, as contended, there was no necessity to specifically exclude the Provincial Assembly while providing for assumption of all or any of the powers vested in or exercised by any Body or Authority in the Province, by the Federal Government or the Governor on its behalf. There was yet another contention, that because Provincial Assembly was specifically excluded while providing for assumption of functions of the Government of the Province and the powers vested in or exercisable by any Body or Authority in the Province, by the federal government or the governor of the Province on its behalf, therefore, it follows that the Constitution-makers, while providing for suspension of the provisions of the constitution relating to any Body or Authority in the Province intended also to exclude the Provincial Assembly. Such interpretation cannot be accepted. Sub-clause (c) of clause (2) of Article 232 deals with two distinct subjects. One relating to assumption of functions and powers of the Government and other Bodies and Authorities in the Province by the Federal Government or its nominee; and the other relating to making of incidental and consequential provisions for giving effect to the object of Proclamation. Assumption of function is not synonymous to suspension of the function. The fact that the Constitution-makers while providing for assumption of functions and powers of Provincial Government and other Bodies and Authorities in the Province by the Federal Government or its nominee, when the Proclamation of Emergency is in force, specifically excluded Provincial Assembly from its purview, does not mean that they impliedly intended to exclude the Provincial Assembly while providing for suspension in whole or in part of any of the provisions of the Constitution relating to any Body or Authority in the Province. If Legislators so intended they could have excluded the Provincial Assembly from the purview of suspension of the provisions of constitution relating to its functions and powers as they did while providing for assumption of powers by the Federal Government or its nominee in the Province in the earlier part of sub-clause (c) of clause (2) of Article 232. Above conclusions find support from the proviso appended to sub-clause (c) of clause (2) of Article 232, which specifically provides that provisions of paragraph (c) of clause (2) of article 232 shall not authorise the Federal Government to assume to itself or direct the Governor of the Province to assume on its behalf any of the powers vested in or exercisable by a High Court or to suspend either in whole or in part the operation of any provision of the constitution relating to High Courts. The power to suspend the provisions of the Constitution relating to any Body or Authority in the Province has been given to the Federal Government in the context of making of incidental or consequential provisions to give effect to the objects of the Proclamation.
After assumption of the power by the Federal Government or the Governor on its behalf under Article 232(2)(c), if the Federal Government finds that it is necessary or desirable to suspend in whole or in part any of the provisions relating to any Body or Authority in the Province (which expression will include the Provincial Assembly) to give effect to the object of Proclamation, it is competent to do so subject to provision contained in clause (4) of Article 232 of the Constitution.
The Federal government through its 1st Order under Article 232(2)(c) directed the Governor of Sindh to assume on its behalf all powers and functions of Government of Sindh and all powers exercisable or vested in any Body or Authority in the Province other than the Provincial Assembly. By the same order the provisions of Articles 130 to 136 of the Constitution, in their application to Province of Sindh, were also suspended with the result the Provincial Cabinet of Sindh, the Chief Minister and Provincial Ministers ceased to hold offices. The order of the Federal Government sets out in detail the object of the Proclamation. Material was placed to justify the issuance of second order by the Federal Government under Article 232(2)(c) of the Constitution. The press reports appearing in almost all the leading national Dailies of Pakistan between the relevant period indicated that political parties through out the Country in general and those in the Province of Sindh in particular, were extremely critical about imposition of governor’s rule in the Province of Sindh. The Deputy Speaker even indicated to convene the meeting of Provincial Assembly of Sindh if it was so requisitioned by the Members to discuss the imposition of Governor’s rule in Sindh at the floor of Assembly. These press reports did indicate that those opposed to Governor’s rule in Sindh, wanted to utilize the platform of Sindh Assembly to condemn the imposition of Governor’s rule in Sindh. The two requisitions sent to the Speaker to convene the meeting of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, showed that the matters to be discussed in the requisitioned meeting of the Assembly included (i) election of Speaker, (ii) imposition of Governor’s rule in Sindh, (iii) accusation of M.Q.M. being involved in Hakim Said’s murder, (iv) financial crisis in Sindh, (v) manipulated results of census, and (vi) Kalabagh Dam. discussion of these items at the floor of Assembly in the prevailing scenario could not have advanced the object of the Proclamation. The Federal Government in the abovestated background suspended the operation of clause (3) of Article 53 and clause (3) of Article 54 of the constitution.
The Federal Government was competent to suspend the operation in whole or in part of any provision of the Constitution relating to any Body or Authority (which included the Provincial Assembly) in the Province of Sindh subject to clause (4) of Article 232 of the Constitution.
The Federal Government is empowered under Article 232(2)(c) of the Constitution, to suspend in whole or in part any of the provisions of the Constitution relating to the Provincial Assembly, as an incidental and consequential measure, if it appears to Federal Government to be necessary or desirable to give effect to the objects of Proclamation. However, if such suspension of the provisions of the Constitution comes in conflict with the exercise of legislative power of the Assembly, then to that extent the suspension of the provision of the Constitution relating to Provincial Assembly will be invalid.
elements irrespective of political affiliation, to stop random or motivated killing of innocent citizens and eliminating internal threat or danger, and restore business confidence so that ordinary citizen could carry out their day to day functions without let or hindrance and issued a further order directing suspension of Arts. 53(3) and 54(3) read with Art. 127 of the Constitution in relation to Provincial Assembly—Effect—When Federal Government by an order under Art. 232(2)(c) of the Constitution directs the Governor of the Province to assume on its behalf functions of the Government of Province and perform all or any of the powers vested in it and exercisable by any Body or Authority in the Province other than the Provincial Assembly, then Federal Government under the Constitution becomes empowered to make such incidental and consequential provisions which are necessary or desirable for giving effect to the objects of Proclamation and includes power of suspending as a whole or part the operation of any provision of the Constitution relating to any such Body or Authority in the Province—Such exercise of authority, shall not restrict the Provincial Assembly to make any law which under the Constitution it has power to make—power pertaining to suspension of any provision referable to “any Body or Authority” in the Province does not exclude Provincial Assembly—Provincial Assembly retains its Legislative authority subject to limitations contained in the Constitution and said functions cannot be taken over by the Federal Government while assuming powers vested or exercisable by any Body or Authority in the Province—Provincial Assembly, therefore, continues to have authority to perform legislative functions within the limits. prescribed by the Constitution in accordance with existing Rules and Procedure framed by the Assembly—Federal Government, whenever Emergency is imposed under Art.232(2)(c) of the Constitution, however, enjoins powers to suspend any of the provisions of the Constitution relating to Speaker or Deputy Speaker.
Federal Government had legitimate authority to suspend the Provincial Governments, whereby executive functions performed by the Chief Minister with Cabinet could be taken over by the Governor and cease to be answerable to the Provincial Assembly. Undoubtedly Chief Minister and Ministers though are elected from amongst Members of the Provincial Assembly yet they constitute “body” or “authority” in the Province. Nevertheless by virtue of sub-clause (4) of Article 232 the Legislative powers of Provincial Assembly could not be restricted except to the extent that they are found repugnant to Act of Majlis-e-Shoora or principles laid in the above provisions and Article 143 of the Constitution. Thus, comparison of various provisions of the Constitution unambiguously disclose that Provincial Assembly retains its Legislative authority subject to limitations contained in the Constitution and said functions cannot be taken over by the Federal Government while assuming powers vested or exercisable by any Body or Authority in the Province. The Assembly, therefore, continues to have authority to perform Legislative functions within the limits prescribed by the Constitution in accordance with existing Rules and procedure framed by it.

References: Art. 232
 Art. 232
 Art. 127
 Art. 232
 Art. 232
 Art.108
 Art. 232
 Art. 232
 Art.127
 art. 232
 Art. 232
 Art. 232
 Art. 232
 Art.127
 Art.232
 Art. 232
 Art.232
 Art. 232
 Art. 127
 Art. 232
 Art.232