Objectives Resolution is one of the most important documents in the constitutional history of Pakistan.

It was passed by the first Constituent Assembly on 1 th !arch 1"#" under the leadership of $ia%uat Ali &han. 'he Objectives Resolution is one of the most important and illuminatin( documents in the constitutional history of Pakistan. It laid down the objectives on which the future constitution of the country was to be based and it proved to be the foundational stone of the constitutional development in Pakistan. 'he most si(nificant thin( was that it contained the basic principles of both Islamic political system and )estern *emocracy. Its importance can be ascertained from the fact that it served as preamble for the constitution of 1"+,- 1", and 1"./ and ultimately became the part of the Constitution when the 0i(hth Amendment in the Constitution of 1"./ was passed in 1"1+. Objective Resolution was presented in the Constituent Assembly by $ia%uat Ali &han on !arch .- 1"#" and was debated for five days by the members from both the treasury and opposition benches. 'he resolution was ultimately passed on !arch 1 . 2ollowin( were the main features of the Objectives Resolution3 1.4overei(nty of the entire 5niverse belon(s to Allah alone .Authority should be dele(ated to the 4tate trou(h its people under the rules set by Allah /.Constitution of Pakistan should be framed by the Constituent Assembly #.4tate should e6ercise its powers throu(h the chosen representatives +.Principles of democracy- freedom- e%uality- tolerance and social justice- as inshore by Islam should be followed ,.!uslims shall live their lives accordin( the teachin( of 7uran and 4unnah ..!inorities can freely profess and practice their reli(ion. 1.'here should be 2ederal form of (overnment with the ma6imum autonomy for the 5nits ".2undamental ri(hts includin( e%uality of status- of opportunity and before law- social- economic and political justice- and freedom of thou(ht- e6pression- belief- faith- worship and association- subject to law and public morality should be (iven to all the citi8ens of the state. 19.It would be the duty of the state to safe(uard the interests of minorities- backward and depressed classes. 11.Independence of judiciary should be (uaranteed 1 .Inte(rity of the territory and soverei(nty of the country was to be safe(uarded 1/.'he people of Pakistan may prosper and attain their ri(htful and honored place amon(st the nations of the world and make their full contribution towards international peace and pro(ress and happiness of humanity. $ia%uat Ali &han e6plained the conte6t of the resolution in his speech delivered in the Constituent Assembly on !arch .- 1"#". :e termed the passa(e of the Objectives Resolution as ;the most important occasion in the life of this country- ne6t in importance only to the achievement of independence.<. :e said that we as !uslim believed that authority vested in Allah Almi(hty and it should be e6ercised in accordance with the standards laid down in Islam. :e added that this preamble had made it clear that the authority would be e6ercised by the chosen persons= which is the essence of democracy and it eliminates the dan(ers of theocracy. It emphasi8ed on the principles of democracy- freedom- e%uality- tolerance- and social justice and it says that these should be part of future constitution. >ut when it was debated in the session of the Constituent Assembly- it was opposed and critici8ed by minorities< leaders. A non !uslim- Prem :ari proposed that the motion should be first circulated for evokin( public opinion and should then be discussed in the house on April /9- 1"#". :e was supported by 4ris Chandra Chattopadhyayawho proposed some amendments in the resolution. 'o him- since the committee of 2undamental Ri(hts had finali8ed their report- there was no need for this resolution to recommend these ri(hts. :e added that the Objectives Resolution was amal(amation of reli(ion and politics= hence it would create ambi(uities with relation to its application in constitutional framework. :e wanted time to study and understand the Objectives Resolution. )hile discussin( ri(hts of reli(ious minorities- Chandra !andal opposed the resolution by sayin( that ?why ulemas are insistin( on this principle of Islam whereas India has Pandits but they did not demand thin(s like that. Individual do have reli(ion but state had not. 4o we think it a (reat deviation in our beloved Pakistan.< &umar *atta opposed it by sayin( that ?if this resolution came in life of @innah it would not have come in its present form.

$et us not do anythin( which lead our (eneration to blind destiny.< Other :indu members also proposed some amendments in the resolution and recommended that some words like ?Asacred trustB- ;Awithin the limits prescribed by :imB- and ;A as enunciated by IslamB should be omitted. 4ome new words should be inserted like ;as prescribed by Islam and other reli(ionsB- and ;Cational soverei(nty belon(s to the people of PakistanB- etc. !ian !uhammad Iftikharuddin was the only !uslim member in the house who opposed the resolution. 'o him the resolution was va(ue and many words used in it do not mean anythin(. :e further su((ested that such a resolution should not only be the product of !uslim $ea(ue members sittin( in the assembly alone. Rather it was supposed to be the voice of seventy million people of Pakistan. On the other hand Objectives Resolution was stron(ly supported by *r. Ishtia% :ussain 7ureshi- !aulana 4habbir Ahmad 5smani- 4ardar Abdurrab Cishter- Coor Ahmad- >e(am 4haista- !uhammad :ussain and others. In order to counter the alle(ations they ar(ued that Islam (overns not only our relations with Dod but also the activities of the believers in other spheres of life as Islam is complete code of life. After a (reat debate finally the resolution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on !arch 1 - 1"#". $ia%uat Ali &han assured the minorities that they will (et all the fundamental ri(hts in Pakistan once the constitution based on the Objectives Resolution will be enforced. :owever- this resolution created a division on the communal lines as the !uslim members e6cept for !ian Iftikharuddin voted in favor of it and the non !uslim opposed it. It created a suspicion in the mind of minorities a(ainst majority. 4ince- the Resolution has yet not been implemented in Pakistan in the true spirit- the doubts in the minds of the minorities still e6ists.