Fundamental rights and 50 years of Constitution.

This past March, we celebrated 50 years of the 1973 Constitution. Various events were held in the National Assembly to celebrate the success of preserving the Constitution for 50 years. It's indeed a matter of pride that we have a written constitution. However, the implementation part remains a greater challenge that should be discussed. The 1973 Constitution contains a comprehensive chapter on fundamental rights, which are basic rights guaranteed by a country's constitution.

In Pakistan, fundamental rights are enshrined in Chapter 1 of the Constitution of 1973. They are intended to protect the citizens from any arbitrary or unjust action by the state or its organs. Some of the benefits of fundamental rights in Pakistan are as follow:

They ensure equality before the law and equal protection of the law for all citizens regardless of their religion, caste, creed, sex or place of birth. They safeguard the dignity and liberty of the individual by prohibiting torture, slavery, forced labour and arbitrary arrest or detention. They promote democracy and accountability by allowing citizens to express their opinions, form associations, assemble peacefully and participate in elections. They foster tolerance and pluralism by protecting the rights of religious minorities and ensuring freedom of conscience and worship. They encourage social justice and development by providing for the right to education, health, property and a clean environment.

However, despite these constitutional guarantees, fundamental rights in Pakistan face many challenges due to various factors such as political instability, weak rule of law, corruption, terrorism, religious extremism and discrimination. Many human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists and activists who expose abuses face harassment, intimidation, threats, arrests and even killings. The government also uses draconian laws such as sedition and counterterrorism to stifle dissent and regulate civil society groups. Women, religious minorities and transgender people continue to face violence, discrimination and persecution with impunity.

Promotion of the social and economic well-being is one of the articles under the chapter on Principles of the Policy of the fundamental rights...