Article 268: Continuance in force, and adaptation of certain laws

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subject to the Constitution, continue in force, so far as applicable and with the necessary adaptations, until altered, repealed or amended by the appropriate Legislature.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. 173[***]

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.