The Third Phase - The Legal Framework Order

The popular uprising against the first military dictator Ayub Khan led to another Marshal Law in 1969 by General Yahya Khan. He abrogated the 1962 Constitution and announced the first general elections in Pakistan’s history on the basis of “One Man One Vote” under his “Legal Framework Order”. The LFO provided for 13 reserved seats for women (6 from West Pakistan and 7 from East Pakistan) in the single chamber Assembly of 313. The elections were held on December 7, 1970 but the Assembly could not convene its session in wake of the secessionist movement in the country’s eastern wing, leading to Pakistan’s dismemberment and creation of Bangladesh. Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the popular leader of the western wing formed the Government in the remaining country. The 144 members elected from the Western wing formed the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, which was convened for the first time on 14^th April 1972. It included six women Members, namely:

Women Members on Reserved Seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan 1972- 1977

Source: Library of  National Assembly of Pakistan Records

In addition to the above, Mrs. Najma Andrews also became the Member of the House on a minorities’ seat for a short-while in 1976 after the death of a sitting MNA and her husband Mr. R. M. Andrews.