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" 305 A TECHNICAL REVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION (EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENT) ACT 2010 Mohsin Abbas Syed, Director, Legislation & Parliamentary Affairs Government of Punjab, Lahore Published in: All Pakistan Legal Decisions Year of Publication: 2011 Suggested Citation: 2011 PLD Journal Section p.14 Constitution reflects aspirations of the people of a society. A citizen owes allegiance to the Constitution. In this sense, Constitution is a social contract between citizens of a State. It is the fundamental law of a nation, which describes the State and the extent of exercise of State authority. Preamble of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan says we, the people of Pakistan.................through our representatives in the National Assembly, adopt, enact and give to ourselves, this Constitution1. It is peoples' document and the Constitution belongs to the people of Pakistan. This constitutional spirit has been reflected for the first time after the making of the Constitution in 1973, when the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional1 Reforms (Cit. p.15)developed a broader agreement on major constitutional issues. The Committee and especially its Chairman have done a marvellous job in developing the broader political consensus in an otherwise fragmented society. Inclusion of the fundamental rights of fair trial and due process2, access to information3, free and compulsory education4 will go a long way in the progress of the nation. The restoration of parliamentary form of Government5, enhancement of Provincial autonomy6, defence of the Constitution7 and reforms in the appointment of Judges8, Chief Election Commissioner and members of the Election Commission9 are the notable policy objectives of the reforms introduced through the Eighteenth Amendment Act. The…