Constitution

Part XII · Miscellaneous · Transitional

Continuance of Proclamation of Emergency

Article 280

Amended by 5th Amendment (1976) · 18th Amendment (2010)

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English · authoritative

The Proclamation of Emergency issued on the twenty-third day of November, one thousand nine hundred and seventy-one, shall be deemed to be a Proclamation of Emergency issued under Article 232, and for the purposes of clause (7) and clause (8) thereof to have been issued on the commencing day, and any law, rule or order made or purporting to have been made in pursuance of that Proclamation shall be deemed to have been validly made 1[and shall not be called in question in any Court on the ground of inconsistency with any of the rights conferred by Chapter I of Part II]. 2[ANNEX (Article 2A) The Objectives Resolution (In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most merciful.) Whereas sovereignty over the entire universe belongs to Allah Almighty alone and the authority which He has delegated to the State of Pakistan, through its people for being exercised within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust; This Constituent Assembly representing the people of Pakistan resolves to frame a Constitution for the sovereign independent State of Pakistan; Wherein the State shall exercise its powers and authority through the chosen representatives of the people; Wherein the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice as enunciated by Islam shall be fully observed; Wherein the Muslims shall be enabled to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set-out in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah; Wherein adequate provision shall be made for the minorities to 3[freely] profess and practise their religions and develop their cultures; Wherein the territories now included in or in accession with Pakistan and such other territories as may hereafter be included in or accede to Pakistan shall form a Federation wherein the units will be autonomous with such boundaries and limitations on their powers and authority as may be prescribed; Wherein shall be guaranteed fundamental rights including equality of status, of opportunity and before law, social, economic and political justice, and freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship and association, subject to law and public morality; Wherein adequate provision shall be made to safeguard the legitimate interests of minorities and backward and depressed classes; Wherein the independence of the Judiciary shall be fully secured; Wherein the integrity of the territories of the Federation, its independence and all its rights including its sovereign rights on land, sea and air shall be safeguarded; So that the people of Pakistan may prosper and attain their rightful and honoured place amongst the nations of the World and make their full contribution towards international peace and progress and happiness of humanity.]

Urdu · official translation (2018)

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Amendment notes (3)›
  1. 1Added and shall be deemed always to have been so added by the Constitution (Fifth Amdt.) Act, 1976 (62 of 1976), section 17.
  2. 2New Annex ins. by President's Order No. 14 of 1985, Article 2 and Schedule
  3. 3Inserted by the Constitution (Eighteenth Amdt.) Act, 2010 (10 of 2010), section 99.

How to cite

In a petition
Article 280 of the Constitution
With heading
Article 280 of the Constitution (Continuance of Proclamation of Emergency)
In full
Article 280, 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 207