Basic Principles Committee

The committee was set up by governor-general Khawaja Nazimuddin upon advice from Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.

[3] The purpose of the BPC was to formulate the basic principles based on the Objectives Resolution using which the future constitutions of Pakistan would be framed.

The committee was asked to propose basic principles and concerned recommendations that would help the constituent assembly with their constitutional and legislative tasks.

The head of state was to be elected by a joint session of the two houses for a term of five years working on the advice of the prime minister.

A board of ulema (religious scholars) was suggested to be appointed by the head of state and provincial governors to examine the processes of law-making ensuring those laws to be in accordance with the Quran and the Sunnah.

It was called reactionary, undemocratic, an insult to Islam, smacking of fascist approach, subversive of the ideology of Pakistan and a gross betrayal of the solemn pledges made to the people.

Amidst furious criticisms, Liaquat Ali Khan refrained from considering the report and invited the committee to present revised proposals and suggestions.

This sub-committee was headed by Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar and later presented a revised report in the constituent assembly in July 1952.

In light of the criticism received for the first proposal, the committee moved towards including greater participation of public opinion into their successive report to the constituent assembly.

The main features of the committee's second report focused prominently on the place of Islam in the future constitution of Pakistan.

[6] A specific clause was added to the proposal which laid down procedures to prevent any legislation that is made outside the limits prescribed in the Quran and the Sunnah.

During the debate concerning the proposition of the head of state being a Muslim, Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan observed that the provision was undeniably against fundamental rights.

[12] On 31 December 1952, Dawn newspaper expressed concern that the committee may have exceeded the limits prescribed in the Objectives Resolution.