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Constitution

Part II · Fundamental Rights and Principles of Policy · Fundamental Rights

Freedom of association

Article 17

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Amended by 18th Amendment (2010) · 27th Amendment (2025)

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1[(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 and such law shall provide that where the Federal Government declares that any political party has been formed or is operating in a manner prejudicial to the sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan, the Federal Government shall, within fifteen days of such declaration, refer the matter to the 2[Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan] whose decision on such reference shall be final.

(3)

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

Amendment notes (2)›
  1. 1Substituted by the Constitution (Eighteenth Amdt.) Act, 2010 (10 of 2010), section 6, for “Article 17”.
  2. 2Substituted by the Constitution (Twenty-Seventh Amdt.) Act, 2025 (32 of 2025), section 4 for “Supreme Court”.

How to cite

In a petition
Article 17 of the Constitution
With heading
Article 17 of the Constitution (Freedom of association)
In full
Article 17, Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973

English text as amended up to 21 November 2025 (27th Amendment), published by Ministry of Law and Justice / National Assembly of Pakistan. The English text is authoritative. Official PDF, page 34