267. (1) At any time before the commencing day, or before the expiration of three months from the commencing day, the President may, for the purpose of removing any difficulties, or for bringing the provisions of the Constitution into effective operation, by Order, direct that the provisions of the Constitution shall, during such period as may be specified in the Order, have effect, subject to such adaptations, whether by way of modification, addition or omission, as he may deem to be necessary or expedient.

(2) An Order made under clause (1) shall be laid before both Houses without undue delay, and shall remain in force until a resolution disapproving it is passed by each House or, in case of disagreement between the two Houses, until such resolution is passed at a joint sitting.

268. (1) Except as provided by this Article, all existing laws shall, subject to the Constitution, continue in force, so far as applicable and with the necessary adaptations, until altered, repealed or amended by the appropriate Legislature.

(2) The laws specified in the Sixth Schedule shall not be altered, repealed or amended without the previous sanction of the President.

(3) For the purpose of bringing the provisions of any existing law into accord with the provisions of the Constitution (other than Part II of the Constitution), the President may by Order, within a period of two years from the commencing day, make such adaptation, whether by way of modification, addition or omission, as he may deem to be necessary or expedient, and any such Order may be made so as to have effect from such day, not being a day earlier than the commencing day, as may be specified in the Order.

(4) The President may authorise the Governor of a Province to exercise, in relation to the Province, the powers conferred on the President by clause (3) in respect of laws relating to matters with respect to which the Provincial Assembly has power to make laws.

(5) The powers exercisable under clauses (3) and (4) shall be subject to the provisions of an Act of the appropriate Legislature.

(6) Any court, tribunal or authority required or empowered to enforce an existing law shall, notwithstanding that no adaptations have been made in such law by an Order made under clause (3) or clause (4), construe the law with all such adaptations as are necessary to bring it into accord with the provisions of the Constitution.

(7) In this Article, "existing laws" means all laws (including Ordinances, Orders- in- Council, Orders, rules, by- laws, regulations and Letters Patent constituting a High Court, and any notifications and other legal instruments having the force of law) in force in Pakistan or any part thereof, or having extraterritorial validity, immediately before the commencing day.

Explanation:- In this Article, "in force", in relation to any law, means having effect as law whether or not the law has been brought into operation.

269. (1) All Proclamations, President's Orders, Martial Law Regulations, Martial Law Orders and all other laws made between the twentieth day of December, one thousand nine hundred and seventy one and the twentieth day of April, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- two (both days inclusive), are hereby declared notwithstanding any judgment of any Court, to have been validly made by competent authority and shall not be called in question in any court on any ground whatsoever.

(2) All orders made, proceedings taken and acts done by any authority, or by any person, which were made, taken or done, or purported to have been made, taken or done, between the twentieth day of December, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- one, and the twentieth day of April, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- two (both days inclusive) in exercise of the powers derived from any President's Orders, Martial low Regulations, Martial Law Orders, enactments, notifications, rules, orders or by- laws, or in execution of any orders made or sentences passed by any authority in the exercise or purported exercise of powers as aforesaid, shall, notwithstanding any judgment of any count, be deemed to be and always to have been validly made, taken or done and shall not be called in question in any court on any ground whatsoever.

(3) No suit or other legal proceedings shall lie in any court against any authority or any person for or on account of or in respect of any order made, proceedings taken or act done whether in the exercise or purported exercise of the powers referred to in clause (2) or in execution of or in compliance with orders made or sentences passed in exercise or purported exercise of such powers.

270. (1) [Majlis- e- Shoora (Parliament)] may by law made in the manner prescribed for legislations for a matter in Part I of the Federal Legislative List validate all Proclamations, President's Orders, Martial Law Regulations, Martial Law Orders and other laws made between the twenty- fifth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and sixty- nine and the nineteenth day of December, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- one (both days inclusive).

(2) Notwithstanding a judgment of any court, a law made by [Majlis- e- Shoora (Parliament)] under clause (1) shall not be questioned in any court on any ground whatsoever.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (1), and a judgment of any court to the contrary, for a period of two years from the commencing day, the validity of all such instruments as are referred to in clause (1) shall not be called in question before any court on any ground whatsoever.

(4) All orders made, proceedings taken and acts done by any authority, or any person, which were made, taken or done, or purported to have been made, taken or done, between the twenty- fifth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and sixty- nine and nineteenth day of December, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- one (both days inclusive), in exercise of powers derived from any President's Orders, Martial Law Regulations, Martial Law Orders, enactments, notifications, rules, orders or by- laws, or in execution of any order made or sentence passed by any authority in the exercise or purported exercise of power as aforesaid shall, notwithstanding any judgment of any court, be deemed to be and always to have been validly made, taken or done, so however that any such order, proceeding or act may be declared invalid by [Majlis- e- Shoora (Parliament)] at any time within a period of two years from the commencing day by resolution of both Houses, or in case of disagreement between the two Houses, by such resolution passed at a joint sitting and shall not be called in question before any court on any ground whatsoever.

270A. (1) The Proclamation of the fifth day of July, 1977, all President's Orders, Ordinances, Martial Law Regulations, Martial Law Orders, including the Referendum Order, 1984 (P. O. No. 11 of 1984), under which, in consequence of the result of the referendum held on the nineteenth day of December 1984. General Muhammad Zia- ul- Haq became the President of Pakistan on the day of the first meeting of the Majlis- e- Shoora (Parliament) in joint sitting for the term specified in clause (7) of Article 41, the Revival of the Constitution of 1973 Order, 1985 (P. O. No. 14 of 1985), the Constitution (Second Amendment) Order 1985 (P. O. No. 24 of 1985), and all other laws, made between the fifth day of July, 1977, and the date on which this Article comes into force are hereby affirmed, adopted and declared, notwithstanding any judgment of any court, to have been validly made by competent authority and, notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, shall not be called in question in any court on any ground whatsoever:

Provided that a President's Order, Martial Law Regulation or Martial Law Order made after the thirtieth day of September, 1985, shall be confined only to making such provisions as facilitate, or are incidental to, the revocation of the Proclamation of the fifth day of July, 1977.

(2) All order made, proceedings taken and acts done by any authority or by any person, which were made, taken or done, or purported to have been made, taken or done, between the fifth day of July, 1977, and the date on which this Article comes into force, in exercise of the powers derived from any Proclamation, President's Orders, Ordinances, Martial Law Regulations, Martial Law Orders, enactments, notifications, rules, orders or by- laws, or in execution of or in compliance with any order made or sentence passed by any authority in the exercise or purported exercise of powers as aforesaid, shall, notwithstanding any judgment of any court, be deemed to be and always to have been validly made, taken or done and shall not be called in question in any court on any ground whatsoever.

(3) All President's Orders, Ordinances, Martial Law Regulations, Martial Law Orders, enactments, notifications, rules, orders or by- laws in force immediately before the date on which this Article comes into force shall continue in force until altered, repealed or amended by competent authority.

Explanation. In this clause, Competent authority means - (a) in respect of President's Orders, Ordinances, Martial Law Regulations, Martial Law Orders and enactments, the Legislature; and

(b) in respect of notifications, rules orders and by- laws, the authority in which the power to made, alter, repeal or amend the same vests under the law

(4) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie in any court against any authority or any person, for or on account of or in respect of any order made, proceedings taken or act done whether in the exercise or purported exercise of the powers referred to in clause (2) or in execution of or in compliance with orders made or sentences passed in exercise or purported exercise of such powers.

(5) For the purposes of clauses (1), (2) and (4), all orders made, proceedings taken, acts done or purporting to be made, taken or done by any authority or person shall be deemed to have been made, taken or done in good faith and for the purpose intended to be served thereby.

(6) Such of the President's Orders and Ordinances referred to in clause (1) as are specified in the Seventh Schedule may be amended in the manner provided for amendment of the Constitution, and all other laws referred to in the said clause may be amended by the appropriate Legislature in the manner provided for amendment of such laws

Explanation. In this Article, "President's Orders" includes "President and Chief Martial Law Administrator's Orders" and "Chief Martial Law Administrator's Orders."

270B. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, the elections held under the Houses of (Parliament) and Provincial Assemblies (Elections) Order, 1977 to the Houses and the Provincial Assemblies shall be deemed to have been held under the Constitution and shall have effect accordingly.

271. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, but subject to Article 63, Article 64 and Article 223,

(a) the first National Assembly shall consist of-: (i) persons who have taken oath in the National Assembly of Pakistan existing immediately before the commencing day, and

(ii) the persons to be elected in accordance with law by the members of the Assembly to fill the seats referred to in clause (2A) of Article 51, and, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue until the fourteenth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- seven; and reference to "total membership" of the National Assembly in the Constitution shall be construed accordingly;

(b) the qualifications and disqualifications for being elected and being a member of the first National Assembly shall, except in case of members filling casual vacancies [or to be elected to the additional seats referred to in clause (2A) of Article 51,] after the commencing day, be the same as under the Interim Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:

Provided that no person holding an office of profit in the service of Pakistan shall continue to be a member of the first National Assembly after the expiration of three months from the commencing day.

(2) If a person referred to in paragraph (a) of clause (1) is, immediately before the commencing day, also a member of a Provincial Assembly, he shall not take a seat in the National Assembly or the Provincial Assembly until he resigns one of his seats.

(3) A casual vacancy in a seat in the first National Assembly, including a vacancy in a seat in the National Assembly of Pakistan existing before the commencing day which was not filled before that day, caused by reason of death or resignation of a member or consequent upon his incurring a disqualification or easily to be a member as a result of the final decision of an election petition may be filled in the same manner in which it would have been filled before the commencing day.

(4) A person referred to in paragraph (a) of clause (1) shall not sit or vote in the National Assembly until he has made the oath prescribed by Article 65 and, if, without the leave of the Speaker of the National Assembly granted on reasonable cause shown, he fails to make the oath within twenty- one days from the day of the first meeting of the Assembly, his seat shall become vacant at the expiration of that period.

272. First constitution of Senate

Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, but subject to [Article 63 and] Article 223,

(a) the Senate shall, until the first National Assembly under the Constitution continues in existence, consist of forty- five members and the provisions of Article 59 shall have effect as if, in paragraph (a) of clause (1) thereof, for the word "fourteen" the word "ten" and in paragraph (b) of that clause for the word "five" the word "three", were substituted, and reference to "total memberships" of the Senate in the Constitution shall be construed accordingly,

(b) the members elected or chosen as members of the Senate shall be divided into two groups by drawing of lots, the first group consisting of five members from each Province, two members from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and one member from the Federal Capital and the second group consisting of five members from each Province one member from the said Areas and one member from the Federal Capital;

(c) the term of office of members of the first group and of the second group shall respectively be two years and four years;

(d) the term of office of persons elected or chosen to succeed the members of the Senate at the expiration of their respective terms shall be four years;

(e) the term of office of a person elected or chosen to fill a casual vacancy shall be the unexpired term of the member whose vacancy he is elected or chosen to fill;

(f) as soon as the first general election to the National Assembly is held, there shall be elected to the Senate four additional members from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas; and

(g) the term of office of such half of the members elected under paragraph (f) as may be determined by drawing of lots shall be the unexpired term of office of the members of the first group and the term of office of the other half shall be the unexpired term of the members of the second group

273. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, but subject to Article 63, Article 64 and Article 223,

(a) the first Assembly of a Province under the Constitution shall consist of

(i) the members of the Assembly of that Province in existence immediately before the commencing day, and

(ii) the additional members to be elected in accordance with law by the members of the Assembly to fill the seats referred to in clause (3) of Article 106, and, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue until the fourteenth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- seven; and reference to "total membership" of the Assembly of a Province in the Constitution shall be construed accordingly;

(b) the qualifications and disqualifications for membership of the first Assembly of a Province shall, except in case of members filling casual vacancies [or to be elected to the additional seats referred to in clause (3) of Article 106,] after the commencing day, be the same as were provided in the Interim Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:

Provided that no person holding an office of profit in the service of Pakistan shall continue to be a member of the Assembly after the expiration of three months from the commencing day.

(2) A casual vacancy in a seat in the first Assembly of a Province, including a vacancy in a seat in the Assembly of that Province in existence immediately before the commencing day which was not filled before that day, caused by reason of death or resignation of a member or consequent upon his incurring a disqualification or ceasing to be a member as a result of the final decision of an election petition may be filled in the same manner in which it would have been filled before the commencing day.

(3) A member referred to in paragraph (a) of clause (1) shall not sit or vote in the Provincial Assembly until he has made the oath prescribed by Article 65 read with Article 127 and, if, without leave of the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly granted on reasonable cause shown, he fails to make the oath within twenty- one days from the day of the first meeting of the Provincial Assembly, his seat shall become vacant at the expiration of that period.

274. (1) All property and assets which, immediately before the commencing day, were vested in the President or the Federal Government shall, as from that day, vest in the Federal Government unless they were used for purposes which, on that day, became purposes of the Government of a Province, in which case they shall, as from that day, vest in the Government of the Province.

(2) All property and assets which, immediately before the commencing day, were vested in the Government of a Province, shall, as from that day, continue to be vested in the Government of that Province, unless they were used for purposes, which on that day, became purposes of the Federal Government in which case they shall, as from that day, vest in the Federal Government. (3) All rights, liabilities and obligations of the Federal Government or of the Government of a Province, whether arising out of contract or otherwise, shall as from the commencing day, continue to be respectively the rights, liabilities and obligations of the Federal Government or of the Government of the Province, except that

(a) all rights, liabilities and obligations relating to any matter which, immediately before that day, was the responsibility of the Federal Government, but which under the Constitution, has become the responsibility of the Government of a Province, shall devolve upon the Government of that Province; and

(b) all rights, liabilities and obligations relating to any matter which, immediately before that day, was the responsibility of the Government of a Province, but which under the Constitution, has become the responsibility of Federal Government, shall devolve upon the Federal Government.

275. (1) Subject to the Constitution and until law is made under Article 240 any person who, immediately before the commencing day, was in the service of Pakistan shall, as from that day, continue in the service of Pakistan on the same terms and conditions as were applicable to him under the Interim Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan immediately before that day. (2) Clause (1) shall also apply in relation to a person holding office immediately before the commencing day as

(a) Chief Justice of Pakistan or other Judge of the Supreme Court, or Chief Justice or other Judge of a High Court;

(b) Governor of a Province;

(c) Chief Minister of a Province;

(d) Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly or a Provincial Assembly;

(e) Chief Election Commissioner;

(f) Attorney- General for Pakistan or Advocate- General for a Province;

(g) Auditor- General of Pakistan.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, for a period of six months from the commencing day, a Federal Minister or a Minister of State or the Chief Minister of a Province or a Provincial Minister may be a person who is not a member of [Majlis- e- Shoora (Parliament)] or, as the case may be, the Provincial Assembly of that Province; and such Chief Minister and Provincial Minister shall have the right to speak and otherwise take part in the proceedings of the Provincial Assembly or any committee thereof of which he may be named a member, but shall not by virtue of this clause be entitled to vote.

(4) Any person who under this Article, is continued in an office in respect of which a form of oath is set out in the Third Schedule shall, as soon as is practicable after the commencing day make before the appropriate person oath in that form.

(5) Subject to the Constitution and law

(a) all civil, criminal and revenue Courts exercising jurisdiction and functions immediately before the commencing day shall, as from that day, continue to exercise their respective jurisdictions and functions; and

(b) all authorities and all offices (whether judicial, executive, revenue or ministerial) throughout Pakistan exercising functions immediately before the commencing day shall, as from that day, continue to exercise their respective functions.

276. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, the first President may, in the absence of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, make the oath referred to in Article 42 before the Speaker of the National Assembly.

277. (1) The schedule of authorized expenditure authenticated by the President for the financial year ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and seventy- four, shall continue to remain a valid authority for expenditure from the Federal Consolidated Fund for that year.

(2) The President may, in respect of expenditure of the Federal Government for any financial year preceding the Financial year commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred and seventy-three (being expenditure in excess of the authorized expenditure for that year), authorize the withdrawal of money from the Federal Consolidated Fund.

(3) The provisions of clauses (1) and (2) shall apply to and in relation to a Province, and for that purpose

(a) any reference in those provisions to the President shall be read as a reference to the Governor of the Province;

(b) any reference in those provisions to the Federal Government shall be read as a reference to the Government of the Province; and

(c) any reference in those provisions to the Federal Consolidated Fund shall read as a reference to the Provincial Consolidated Fund of the Province.

278. The Auditor- General shall perform the same functions and exercise the same powers in relation to accounts which have not been completed or audited before the commencing day as, by virtue of the Constitution, he is empowered to perform or exercise in relation to other accounts, and Article 171 shall, with the necessary modifications, apply accordingly.

279. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, all taxes and fees levied under any law in force immediately before the commencing day shall continue to be levied until they are varied or abolished by Act of the appropriate Legislature.

280. 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 proposes 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 [and shall not be called in question in any court on the ground of inconsistency with any of the rights conferred by Chapter 1 of Part II.]