24/10/2025
Law Across the Border: Safdar Hasan Yousafzai
In the story of every nation, there is a book that defines its identity — a book that tells its people who they are, what their rights are, and how their country should be run. For Pakistan, that sacred book is the Constitution. It was meant to be the supreme law, the foundation of justice, and the protector of every citizen’s rights. But sadly, in recent years, it feels as if this precious document has been closed, locked away, and placed on a dusty shelf.
The Constitution of Pakistan clearly lays out how the country should function. It says that when an assembly is dissolved, elections must be held within 90 days. It guarantees fairness, accountability, and representation for all. Yet, the people have witnessed something very different. The 90-day rule was ignored; no election took place within the constitutional limit, and no one was held responsible. Even when the courts ordered elections on specific dates, those orders were defied. The Constitution spoke, but no one listened.
Later, when elections did take place, many citizens believed they were rigged and manipulated. Around 80 National Assembly seats went for scrutiny by the Election Commission — a process that was supposed to be done swiftly under constitutional guidelines. But again, the Constitution was pushed aside. Time passed, and the promises of transparency faded into silence.
Another blow came when special and minority seats, which are the rightful share of certain political parties under the Constitution, were handed over to opposing or hostile parties. This was not just a political injustice — it was a direct attack on the principles that hold our democracy together. Once again, the Constitution was ignored, treated as a mere piece of paper rather than the heartbeat of the nation.
The past few years have shown that in Pakistan, the law has crossed the border, leaving justice behind. The Constitution, once a living document, has become a forgotten relic — a book that is read only in speeches but not followed in actions. When the law is shelved, the will of the people is also shelved. Democracy becomes a show, and power becomes the only rule.
Yet, despite all this, hope should not die. The Constitution can be taken off the shelf again. It can breathe life back into the system if people — especially the youth — stand up for it. Pakistan’s founders dreamed of a land where the rule of law would be above every individual, no matter how powerful. That dream still lives in the hearts of those who believe in justice, equality, and truth.
It is time to bring the Constitution back from the shelf — to open it, read it, and live by it once again. Only then can Pakistan truly be the country its founders envisioned: a nation of laws, not of rulers.
