KARACHI: President Mohammad Ayub Khan has given his assent to the Constitution (First Amendment) Bill, 1963, making the Fundamental Rights justiciable and changing the nomenclature of the State to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The new Act, which became operative from yesterday, enlarges the jurisdiction of the courts for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights incorporated in the Constitution.

The First Amendment to the Constitution, which was adopted by the National Assembly during its last session in Dacca, makes it obligatory on the part of the Advisory Council of Islamic Ideology to examine all laws with a view to bringing them “in conformity with the Holy Quran and Sunnah”. Furthermore, the Council has to submit its progress report for each year to Parliament for scrutiny.

In the Principles of Policy of the Constitution, a new principle has been added which lays down that no law shall be repugnant to the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.