1964 Constitution of Afghanistan

[[File:Stamp of Afghanistan - 1965 - Colnect 413461 - Proclamation of the New Constitution.jpeg|thumb|A 1965 [[Afghan Post]] postage stamp with a photo of King [[Mohammad Zahir Shah]] promulgating the constitution.]]

[[File:Stamp of Afghanistan - 1965 - Colnect 413461 - Proclamation of the New Constitution.jpeg|thumb|A 1965 [[Afghan Post]] postage stamp with a photo of King [[Mohammad Zahir Shah]] promulgating the constitution.]]

The '''1964 Constitution of Afghanistan''' was the [[constitution|supreme law]] of the [[Kingdom of Afghanistan]] from 1964 to 1973. It was annulled following a [[1973 Afghan coup d'état|coup d'état]],{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ksC-BL2WivUC|title=Law in Afghanistan: A Study of the Constitutions, Matrimonial Law and the Judiciary|first=Mohammad Hashim|last=Kamali|date=January 1, 1985|publisher=BRILL|isbn=9004071288|via=Google Books}} though parts of the constitution were restored by future governments from 2002 to 2004 and from 2021 to 2022. It was drafted by a committee of foreign-educated Afghans, including Sardar Abdul Hakim Ziai and Sardar Abdul Rahim Ziai, appointed for the task by the then-[[king of Afghanistan]], [[Mohammad Zahir Shah]]. The primary goals of the Constitution were to prepare the government and the people for gradual [[democratization]] and socioeconomic modernization. It also acknowledged freedom of assembly, freedom of association, and freedom of speech.{{cite book|title=Culture and Customs of Afghanistan (Culture and Customs of Asia)|author=Hafizullah Emadi |date=2005|publisher=Greenwood|page=38}} A [[Loya jirga]] (grand council of notables) had debated, modified and approved its innovations, which included a bill of rights for all Afghans, explicitly including women. After public review, the constitution was put into effect in October 1964.{{cite book|title=Afghanistan: A Country study|editor=Peter R. Blood|date=1997|section=The Constitutional Period, 1964-73|author=Richard S. Newell}}

The '''1964 Constitution of Afghanistan''' was the [[constitution|supreme law]] of the [[Kingdom of Afghanistan]] from 1964 to 1973. It was annulled following a [[1973 Afghan coup d'état|coup d'état]],{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ksC-BL2WivUC|title=Law in Afghanistan: A Study of the Constitutions, Matrimonial Law and the Judiciary|first=Mohammad Hashim|last=Kamali|date=January 1, 1985|publisher=BRILL|isbn=9004071288|via=Google Books}} though parts of the constitution were restored by future governments from 2002 to 2004 and from 2021 to 2022. It was drafted by a committee of foreign-educated Afghans, including Sardar Abdul Hakim Ziai, Sardar Abdul Rahim Ziai, Dr Abdul Zahir among others, appointed for the task by the then-[[king of Afghanistan]], [[Mohammad Zahir Shah]]. The primary goals of the Constitution were to prepare the government and the people for gradual [[democratization]] and socioeconomic modernization. It also acknowledged freedom of assembly, freedom of association, and freedom of speech.{{cite book|title=Culture and Customs of Afghanistan (Culture and Customs of Asia)|author=Hafizullah Emadi |date=2005|publisher=Greenwood|page=38}} A [[Loya jirga]] (grand council of notables) had debated, modified and approved its innovations, which included a bill of rights for all Afghans, explicitly including women. After public review, the constitution was put into effect in October 1964.{{cite book|title=Afghanistan: A Country study|editor=Peter R. Blood|date=1997|section=The Constitutional Period, 1964-73|author=Richard S. Newell}}

Although Afghanistan became a [[Durrani Empire|sovereign nation]] in 1747 under the rule of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]],{{cite web|url=http://www.afghanembassyjp.com/en/life/?pn=24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414040634/http://www.afghanembassyjp.com/en/life/?pn=24|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 14, 2008|title=Afghan Kings Since 1747|publisher=The Embassy of Afghanistan|location=Tokyo, Japan|access-date=2010-12-08}} the earliest Afghan constitution was written during the reign of [[Emir]] [[Abdur Rahman Khan]] in the 1890s followed by a 1923 version.{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/constitutional-history-of-afghanistan|title=Constitutional History of Afghanistan|publisher=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]|access-date=2010-12-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.afghan-web.com/history/const/const1923.html|title=Constitution of Afghanistan (1923)|publisher=Afghanistan Online|access-date=2010-12-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226102808/http://www.afghan-web.com/history/const/const1923.html|archive-date=2015-02-26}} The 1964 Constitution transformed Afghanistan into a modern democracy.{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1573181.stm|work=BBC News|title=Profile: Ex-king Zahir Shah|date=October 1, 2001}}

Although Afghanistan became a [[Durrani Empire|sovereign nation]] in 1747 under the rule of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]],{{cite web|url=http://www.afghanembassyjp.com/en/life/?pn=24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414040634/http://www.afghanembassyjp.com/en/life/?pn=24|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 14, 2008|title=Afghan Kings Since 1747|publisher=The Embassy of Afghanistan|location=Tokyo, Japan|access-date=2010-12-08}} the earliest Afghan constitution was written during the reign of [[Emir]] [[Abdur Rahman Khan]] in the 1890s followed by a 1923 version.{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/constitutional-history-of-afghanistan|title=Constitutional History of Afghanistan|publisher=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]|access-date=2010-12-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.afghan-web.com/history/const/const1923.html|title=Constitution of Afghanistan (1923)|publisher=Afghanistan Online|access-date=2010-12-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226102808/http://www.afghan-web.com/history/const/const1923.html|archive-date=2015-02-26}} The 1964 Constitution transformed Afghanistan into a modern democracy.{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1573181.stm|work=BBC News|title=Profile: Ex-king Zahir Shah|date=October 1, 2001}}