CHAPTER 1 - FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

8. Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of fundamental rights to be void.

(1) Any law, or any custom or usage having the force of law, in so far as it is inconsistent with
the rights conferred by this Chapter, shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, be void.

(2) The State shall not make any law which takes away or abridges the rights so conferred and
any law made in contravention of this clause shall, to the extent of such contravention, be void.

(3) The provisions of this Article shall not apply to :-

(a) any law relating to members of the Armed Forces, or of the police or of such other forces as
are charged with the maintenance of public order, for the purpose of ensuring the proper
discharge of their duties or the maintenance of discipline among them; or

(b) any of the

(i) laws specified in the First Schedule as in force immediately before the commencing day or as
amended by any of the laws specified in that Schedule;

(ii) other laws specified in Part I of the First Schedule;

and no such law nor any provision thereof shall be void on the ground that such law or provision
is inconsistent with, or repugnant to, any provision of this Chapter.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph (b) of clause (3), within a period of two
years from the commencing day, the appropriate Legislature shall bring the laws specified in Part
II of the First Schedule into conformity with the rights conferred by this Chapter:

Provided that the appropriate Legislature may by resolution extend the said period of two years
by a period not exceeding six months.

Explanation :- If in respect of any law Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) is the appropriate

(5) The rights conferred by this Chapter shall not be suspended except as expressly provided by
the Constitution.

9. Security of person.

No person shall be deprived of life or liberty save in accordance with law.

10. Safeguards as to arrest and detention.

(2) Every person who is arrested and detained in custody shall be produced before a magistrate
within a period of twenty-four hours of such arrest, excluding the time necessary for the journey
from the place of arrest to the court of the nearest magistrate, and no such person shall be
detained in custody beyond the said period without the authority of a magistrate.

(3) Nothing in clauses (1) and (2) shall apply to any person who is arrested or detained under any
law providing for preventive detention.

(4) No law providing for preventive detention shall be made except to deal with persons acting in
a manner prejudicial to the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, or
external affairs of Pakistan, or public order, or the maintenance of supplies or services, and no
such law shall authorise the detention of a person for a period exceeding three months unless the
appropriate Review Board has, after affording him an opportunity of being heard in person,
reviewed his case and reported, before the expiration of the said period, that there is, in its
opinion, sufficient cause for such detention, and, if the detention is continued after the said
period of three months, unless the appropriate Review Board has reviewed his case and reported,
before the expiration of each period of three months, that there is, in its opinion, sufficient cause
for such detention.

Explanation-I: In this Article, "the appropriate Review Board" means,

(i) in the case of a person detained under a Federal law, a Board appointed by the Chief Justice of
Pakistan and consisting of a Chairman and two other persons, each of whom is or has been a
Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court; and

(ii) in the case of a Person detained under a Provincial law, a Board appointed by the Chief
Justice of the High Court concerned and consisting of a Chairman and two other persons, each of
whom is or has been a Judge of a High Court.

Explanation-II: The opinion of a Review Board shall be expressed in terms of the views of the
majority of its members.

(5) When any person is detained in pursuance of an order made under any law providing for
preventive detention, the authority making the order shall, [11][within fifteen days] from such
detention, communicate to such person the grounds on which the order has been made, and shall
afford him the earliest opportunity of making a representation against the order:

Provided that the authority making any such order may refuse to disclose facts which such
authority considers it to be against the public interest to disclose.
(6) The authority making the order shall furnish to the appropriate Review Board all documents
relevant to the case unless a certificate, signed by a Secretary to the Government concerned, to
the effect that it is not in the public interest to furnish any documents, is produced.

(7) Within a period of twenty-four months commencing on the day of his first detention in
pursuance of an order made under a law providing for preventive detention, no person shall be
detained in pursuance of any such order for more than a total period of eight months in the case
of a person detained for acting in a manner prejudicial to public order and twelve months in any
other case:

Provided that this clause shall not apply to any person who is employed by, or works for, or acts
on instructions received from, the enemy or who is acting or attempting to act in a manner
prejudicial to the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof or who commits or
attempts to commit any act which amounts to an anti-national activity as defined in a Federal law
or is a member of any association which has for its objects, or which indulges in, any such anti-
national activity.

(8) The appropriate Review Board shall determine the place of detention of the person detained
and fix a reasonable subsistence allowance for his family.

(9) Nothing in this Article shall apply to any person who for the time being is an enemy alien.

11. Slavery, forced labour, etc. prohibited.

(1) Slavery is non-existent and forbidden and no law shall permit or facilitate its introduction
into Pakistan in any form.

(2) All forms of forced labour and traffic in human beings are prohibited.

(3) No child below the age of fourteen years shall be engaged in any factory or mine or any other
hazardous employment.

(4) Nothing in this Article shall be deemed to affect compulsory service:-

(a) by any person undergoing punishment for an offence against any law; or

(b) required by any law for public purpose provided that no compulsory service shall be of a
cruel nature or incompatible with human dignity.

12. Protection against retrospective punishment.

(1) No law shall authorize the punishment of a person:-

(a) for an act or omission that was not punishable by law at the time of the act or omission; or
(b) for an offence by a penalty greater than, or of a kind different from, the penalty prescribed by
law for that offence at the time the offence was committed.

(2) Nothing in clause (1) or in Article 270 shall apply to any law making acts of abrogation or
subversion of a Constitution in force in Pakistan at any time since the twenty-third day of March,
one thousand nine hundred and fifty-six, an offence.

13. Protection against double punishment and self incrimination.

No person:-

(a) shall be prosecuted or punished for the same offence more than once; or

(b) shall, when accused of an offence, be compelled to be a witness against himself.

14. Inviolability of dignity of man, etc.

(1) The dignity of man and, subject to law, the privacy of home, shall be inviolable.

(2) No person shall be subjected to torture for the purpose of extracting evidence.

15. Freedom of movement, etc.

Every citizen shall have the right to remain in, and, subject to any reasonable restriction imposed
by law in the public interest, enter and move freely throughout Pakistan and to reside and settle
in any part thereof.

16. Freedom of assembly.

Every citizen shall have the right to assemble peacefully and without arms, subject to any
reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of public order.

17. Freedom of association.

(1) Every citizen shall have the right to form associations or unions, subject to any reasonable
restrictions imposed by law in the interest of sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan, public order or
morality.

(2) Every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, shall have the right to form or be a
member of a political party, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest
of the sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan or public order and such law shall provide that where
the Federal Government declare that any political party has been formed or is operating in a
manner prejudicial to the sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan or public order, the Federal
Government shall, within fifteen days of such declaration, refer the matter to the Supreme Court
whose decision on such reference shall be final.
Provided that no political party shall promote sectarian, ethnic, regional hatred or animosity, or
be titled or constituted as a militant group or section.

(3) Every political party shall account for the source of its funds in accordance with law.

(4) Every political party shall, subject to law, hold intra-party elections to elect its office-bearers
and party leaders.

18. Freedom of trade, business or profession.

Subject to such qualifications, if any, as may be prescribed by law, every citizen shall have the
right to enter upon any lawful profession or occupation, and to conduct any lawful trade or
business:

Provided that nothing in this Article shall prevent:-

(a) the regulation of any trade or profession by a licensing system; or

(b) the regulation of trade, commerce or industry in the interest of free competition therein; or

(c) the carrying on, by the Federal Government or a Provincial Government, or by a corporation
controlled by any such Government, of any trade, business, industry or service, to the exclusion,
complete or partial, of other persons.

19. Freedom of speech, etc.

Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be
freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the
glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly
relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of
court, commission of or incitement to an offence.

20. Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions.

Subject to law, public order and morality:-

(a) every citizen shall have the right to profess, practise and propagate his religion; and

(b) every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain
and manage its religious institutions.

21. Safeguard against taxation for purposes of any particular religion.

No person shall be compelled to pay any special tax the proceeds of which are to be spent on the
propagation or maintenance of any religion other than his own.
22. Safeguards as to educational institutions in respect of religion, etc.

(1) No person attending any educational institution shall be required to receive religious
instruction, or take part in any religious ceremony, or attend religious worship, if such
instruction, ceremony or worship relates to a religion other than his own.

(2) In respect of any religious institution, there shall be no discrimination against any community
in the granting of exemption or concession in relation to taxation.

(3) Subject to law:

(a) no religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious

(b) no citizen shall be denied admission to any educational institution receiving aid from public
revenues on the ground only of race, religion, caste or place of birth.

(4) Nothing in this Article shall prevent any public authority from making provision for the
advancement of any socially or educationally backward class of citizens.

23. Provision as to property.

Every citizen shall have the right to acquire, hold and dispose of property in any part of Pakistan,
subject to the Constitution and any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the public interest.

24. Protection of property rights.

(1) No person shall be compulsorily deprived of his property save in accordance with law.

(2) No property shall be compulsorily acquired or taken possession of save for a public purpose,
and save by the authority of law which provides for compensation therefore and either fixes the
amount of compensation or specifies the principles on and the manner in which compensation is
to be determined and given.

(3) Nothing in this Article shall affect the validity of :-

(a) any law permitting the compulsory acquisition or taking possession of any property for
preventing danger to life, property or public health; or

(b) any law permitting the taking over of any property which has been acquired by, or come into
the possession of, any person by any unfair means, or in any manner, contrary to law; or

(c) any law relating to the acquisition, administration or disposal of any property which is or is
deemed to be enemy property or evacuee property under any law (not being property which has
ceased to be evacuee property under any law); or
(d) any law providing for the taking over of the management of any property by the State for a
limited period, either in the public interest or in order to secure the proper management of the
property, or for the benefit of its owner; or

(e) any law providing for the acquisition of any class of property for the purpose of

(i) providing education and medical aid to all or any specified class of citizens or

(ii) providing housing and public facilities and services such as roads, water supply, sewerage,
gas and electric power to all or any specified class of citizens; or

(iii) providing maintenance to those who, on account of unemployment, sickness, infirmity or old
age, are unable to maintain themselves ; or

(f) any existing law or any law made in pursuance of Article 253.

(4) The adequacy or otherwise of any compensation provided for by any such law as is referred
to in this Article, or determined in pursuance thereof, shall not be called in question in any court.

25. Equality of citizens.

(1) All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law.

(2) There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex alone.

(3) Nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the
protection of women and children.

26. Non-discrimination in respect of access to public places.

(1) In respect of access to places of public entertainment or resort not intended for religious
purposes only, there shall be no discrimination against any citizen on the ground only of race,
religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth.

(2) Nothing in clause (1) shall prevent the State from making any special provision for women
and children.

27. Safeguard against discrimination in services.

(1) No citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service of Pakistan shall be
discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the ground only of race, religion,
caste, sex, residence or place of birth.

Provided that, for a period not exceeding [16][forty] years from the commencing day, posts may
be reserved for persons belonging to any class or area to secure their adequate representation in
the service of Pakistan:
Provided further that, in the interest of the said service, specified posts or services may be
reserved for members of either sex if such posts or services entail the performance of duties and
functions which cannot be adequately performed by members of the other sex.

(2) Nothing in clause (1) shall prevent any Provincial Government, or any local or other
authority in a Province, from prescribing, in relation to any post or class of service under that
Government or authority, conditions as to residence in the Province. for a period not exceeding
three years, prior to appointment under that Government or authority.

28. Preservation of language, script and culture.

Subject to Article 251 any section of citizens having a distinct language, script or culture shall
have the right to preserve and promote the same and subject to law, establish institutions for that
purpose.