The
Constitution (Fourteenth Amendment) Act, 1997 was an amendment to the
Constitution of Pakistan passed in 1997, during the government of
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, leader of the
Pakistan Muslim League party. It subjected
Members of Parliament to very strict
party discipline. Party leaders received unlimited power to dismiss any of their legislators from Parliament if they spoke or voted against their party.
Since Nawaz' party had an overwhelming majority in
Parliament, the Fourteenth Amendment effectively prevented the Prime Minister from being dismissed by a
no confidence vote. A few months earlier, the
Thirteenth Amendment took away the
President's
reserve power to remove a Prime Minister by dissolving Parliament and calling new elections. The amendments removed nearly all
checks and balances on the Prime Minister's power, since there was virtually no way he could be legally dismissed.
In Pakistan, once legislators are elected to national or provincial assemblies, there is no way for the people to
recall them before the end of their five-year terms. In the past, this has contributed to a sense of immunity on the part of members of the ruling party, and to rampant
corruption among leading politicians. The Fourteenth Amendment increased this perception, and contributed to the overwhelming popular support for General
Pervez Musharraf's coup in 1999. The
Supreme Court subsequently validated the coup on the grounds that the Thirteenth and Fourteenth amendments created a situation for which there was no constitutional remedy.
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So, there we go PMLN. Its undeniable to say that coup in Pakistan in 1999 was Musharraf's fault alone. Pakistan had already become a civilian dictatorship when Noora passed 14th Amendment, thus becoming Ameer-ul-Momineen (Saudi style).
Seriously, was this the so-called sacred constitution your legislators were bragging about to defend in parliament's joint session weeks ago? Something that can be easily altered with 2/3 majority is sacred? No matter if this majority is achieved through rigging or free and fair elections? Also, where was Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1997 when Noora passed these dictatorial, undemocratic amendments to the constitution with 2/3 majority? Oh, yes, "sacred" SC building was under attack by PMLN supporters back in 1997 when CJ tried to bring Ameer-ul-Momineen under the scrutiny of the law.