CSS Political Science Paper II: Comparative Politics, Pakistan and International Relations Syllabus

What model of governance characterizes China's political system?

A one-party socialist state led by the Communist Party of China (CPC), with democratic centralism, a National People's Congress as the highest organ of state power, and party supremacy over state institutions.

What is notable about Japan's post-war political system?

A constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy under the 1947 'Peace Constitution' (Article 9 renouncing war), an emperor as ceremonial symbol of the state, and a long dominance by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

What is the 'Two-Nation Theory'?

The ideological basis of Pakistan: the assertion that Hindus and Muslims of South Asia are two distinct nations with separate religions, cultures, social customs and ways of life, and therefore Muslims required a separate homeland.

Who is regarded as a pioneer of Muslim nationalism in South Asia through the Aligarh Movement, and what did he found?

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, who founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh (1875, later Aligarh Muslim University) to promote modern Western and scientific education among Muslims and articulated the early Two-Nation idea.

When and where was the All-India Muslim League founded, and why?

In Dhaka in 1906, to protect and advance the political rights and interests of Muslims of India and to counter the Indian National Congress's claim to represent all Indians.

What was the significance of the 1940 Lahore Resolution?

Passed at the Muslim League's Lahore session (23 March 1940, moved by A.K. Fazlul Haq), it demanded independent sovereign states for Muslims in the Muslim-majority regions of north-western and eastern India — the formal demand that led to Pakistan; also called the Pakistan Resolution.

What was the Allama Iqbal's contribution to the idea of Pakistan?

In his 1930 Allahabad Address to the Muslim League, Allama Muhammad Iqbal proposed the consolidation of the Muslim-majority north-west provinces into a single state — the first major articulation of a separate Muslim homeland concept.

What was the 1916 Lucknow Pact?

An agreement between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League in which Congress accepted separate electorates for Muslims; it marked a high point of Hindu-Muslim political cooperation and Jinnah's role as 'ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity'.

What were the 1928 Nehru Report and Jinnah's response?

The Nehru Report proposed a constitution rejecting separate electorates and Muslim demands; Jinnah responded with his 'Fourteen Points' (1929) outlining minimum Muslim constitutional safeguards, a turning point hardening League–Congress differences.

What was the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946) and why did it fail?

A British proposal for a loose three-tier federal union of India with grouped provinces to keep India united while giving Muslims autonomy; it failed because of disagreement over interpretation (grouping) between Congress and the League, paving the way for partition.

Under which act and on what date did Pakistan achieve independence?

Under the Indian Independence Act 1947 (passed by the British Parliament), Pakistan came into being on 14 August 1947, with Muhammad Ali Jinnah as its first Governor-General.

What was the Objectives Resolution (1949) and its constitutional significance?

Passed by the Constituent Assembly on 12 March 1949 (moved by Liaquat Ali Khan), it laid down the guiding principles of Pakistan's future constitutions — sovereignty belongs to Allah, democracy, freedom and social justice as enunciated by Islam; it became a substantive part of the Constitution via Article 2-A (8th Amendment, 1985).

Why did Pakistan's first Constituent Assembly take so long to frame a constitution (1947–1956)?

Due to disputes over the role of Islam, the distribution of power between East and West Pakistan (representation/parity problem), the question of national language, federal vs unitary structure, and political instability including the dissolution of the first Assembly in 1954.

What were the main features of Pakistan's 1956 Constitution?

It declared Pakistan an 'Islamic Republic,' established a federal parliamentary system with a unicameral legislature, gave East and West Pakistan parity of representation (One Unit scheme), and made Urdu and Bengali national languages.

What were the main features of the 1962 Constitution?

Introduced by Ayub Khan, it established a presidential system with a powerful President, indirect elections through 'Basic Democracies' (electoral college of 80,000 then 120,000), a unicameral legislature, and a strong centralized federation.

What are the salient features of Pakistan's 1973 Constitution?

A federal, parliamentary form of government; bicameral legislature (National Assembly and Senate); Islam as the state religion; a Prime Minister as chief executive and a ceremonial President; declaration of Pakistan as an 'Islamic Republic'; and provisions for fundamental rights and provincial autonomy.

What is the significance of the 8th Amendment (1985) to the 1973 Constitution?

It indemnified Zia-ul-Haq's martial law actions and inserted Article 58(2)(b), empowering the President to dissolve the National Assembly at his discretion — shifting power from the PM to the President and used to dismiss several governments.

What did the 13th Amendment (1997) do?

It repealed Article 58(2)(b), stripping the President of the discretionary power to dissolve the National Assembly, thereby restoring supremacy to the Prime Minister and Parliament.

What were the key changes brought by the 18th Amendment (2010)?

It repealed the 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)(b), restored the parliamentary character of the 1973 Constitution, abolished the Concurrent Legislative List (devolving subjects to provinces), renamed NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and strengthened provincial autonomy and the judicial appointment process.

What did the 19th and 21st Amendments address?

The 19th Amendment (2010) revised the judicial appointments process (Judicial Commission/Parliamentary Committee); the 21st Amendment (2015) established military courts to try terrorism suspects following the APS Peshawar attack (a sunset clause provision).

Define 'federalism' and identify Pakistan's type of federation.

Federalism is a system dividing sovereignty constitutionally between a central (federal) government and constituent units (provinces), each supreme in its own sphere. Pakistan is a federation with a strong centre, comprising provinces plus federal territories.

What are the two legislative lists under the 1973 Constitution after the 18th Amendment?

After the 18th Amendment the Concurrent List was abolished, leaving the Federal Legislative List (Parts I and II) for the centre; all residuary subjects fall to the provinces, substantially enhancing provincial legislative powers.

What is the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award?

A constitutionally mandated (Article 160) mechanism, convened at least every five years, that determines the distribution of financial resources (the divisible tax pool) between the federation and the provinces, primarily on the basis of population and other agreed criteria.

What is the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and its role in centre-province relations?

A constitutional body (Article 153–154) comprising the PM, provincial chief ministers and federal ministers that formulates and regulates policies on subjects in Part II of the Federal Legislative List and resolves disputes of power/interest between the federation and provinces.

Define 'political culture' and name Almond and Verba's three types.

Political culture is the pattern of attitudes, beliefs, values and orientations a population holds toward the political system. Almond and Verba (The Civic Culture, 1963) classified it into parochial, subject, and participant political cultures.

Distinguish parochial, subject, and participant political cultures.

Parochial: citizens have little awareness of/orientation toward the political system; subject: citizens are aware of the system and its outputs but passive, not participating; participant: citizens are actively oriented toward and engaged in both inputs and outputs of the system.

What is a 'political cleavage,' and name the classic cleavages identified by Lipset and Rokkan?

A cleavage is a deep social division that structures political conflict and party alignment. Lipset and Rokkan (1967) identified four: owner–worker (class), church–state, centre–periphery, and land–industry (urban–rural).

What is Duverger's Law regarding electoral systems and party systems?

Duverger's Law holds that single-member plurality (first-past-the-post) electoral systems tend to produce two-party systems, whereas proportional representation tends to encourage multi-party systems.

Identify the key milestones in the history of International Relations: the Peace of Westphalia and its significance.

The Peace of Westphalia (1648) ended the Thirty Years' War and established the modern state system based on principles of state sovereignty, territorial integrity, legal equality of states, and non-interference — the foundation of the nation-state order.

What was the Congress of Vienna (1815) and the 'Concert of Europe'?

The Congress of Vienna (1814–15) restructured Europe after the Napoleonic Wars, restoring a balance of power; the 'Concert of Europe' was the resulting system of great-power consultation and cooperation that maintained relative peace through much of the 19th century.