National Assembly of Pakistan قومی اسمبلی پاکستان[A 1] | |
|---|---|
| 16th National Assembly of Pakistan | |
 Emblem of the National Assembly | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | 5 years |
| History | |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 336 |
 | |
Political groups | Government (243)
Opposition (89) |
| Elections | |
| Mixed member majoritarian: | |
First election | July 1947 (indirect) 7 December 1970 (direct) |
Last election | 8 February 2024 |
Next election | 2029 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| National Assembly Secretariat, Islamabad | |
| Website | |
| www | |
 |
|---|
| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Pakistan |
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National Assembly of Pakistan constitutes the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan, with the Senate serving as the upper house. As per the constitutional framework, the National Assembly comprises a maximum of 336 members. Of these, 266 members are directly elected through universal adult suffrage under the first-past-the-post system from respective constituencies, while 60 seats are reserved for women and 10 for religious minorities (non-Muslims). These reserved seats are allocated to political parties based on their proportional representation in the general seats.
Members serve a term of five years from the date of the first sitting of the house or until its dissolution by the President of Pakistan on the advice of the Prime Minister. The assembly convenes at the Parliament House in the Red Zone of Islamabad. The National Assembly elects the Prine Minister and plays a central role in the legislative process and oversight of the government.
Elections to the general seats occur via the first-past-the-post system in single-member constituencies known as National Assembly constituencies. The Constitution of Pakistan provides for the allocation of reserved seats for women and religious minorities on the basis of proportional representation among political parties.
Each National Assembly is constituted for a five-year term beginning with its first sitting, after which it stands automatically dissolved unless dissolved earlier. The assembly may be dissolved by the President upon the advice of the Prime Minister; the Prime Minister cannot dissolve it independently.
On 3 April 2022, President Arif Alvi dissolved the 15th National Assembly on the advice of then Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, the Supreme Court of Pakistan intervened on 7 April 2022, declaring the dissolution unconstitutional and restoring the assembly. Subsequently, on 10 April 2022, a no-confidence motion was passed against Imran Khan. On 11 April 2022, Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) was elected as Prime Minister. Prior to the vote, a significant number of members from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had resigned. These events triggered prolonged political instability and crises in Pakistan throughout late 2022 and 2023.
The current 16th National Assembly of Pakistan was elected in the general election held on 8 February 2024 and formally constituted in February-March 2024. The polls were marked by widespread allegations of rigging and irregularities, which led to protests and legal challenges. Independent candidates, largely backed by PTI, secured the largest number of general seats but faced constraints due to the party’s inability to field candidates under its electoral symbol.
The 16th assembly has witnessed significant political realignments. A large bloc of PTI-backed independents initially operated through the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as a parliamentary platform. Disputes over reserved seats resulted in interventions by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. In July 2024, the Court ruled in favour of PTI’s eligibility for reserved seats, leading to the allocation of additional seats to the party (or its aligned platform) and adjustments in the house’s composition. [Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera, Wikipedia summaries drawing from Pakistani judicial records, 2024].
As of mid-2026, the assembly continues its term under Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, with ongoing political dynamics between the ruling coalition led by the PML-N and PPP, and the opposition.
List of Assemblies[edit | edit source]
| No. | Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1947 | 1954 |
| 2 | 2nd National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1955 | 1958 |
| 3 | 3rd National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1962 | 1965 |
| 4 | 4th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1965 | 1969 |
| 5 | 5th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1972 | 1977 |
| 6 | 6th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1977 | 1977 |
| 7 | 7th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1985 | 1988 |
| 8 | 8th National Assembly of Pakistan | 1988 | 1990 |
| 9 | 9th National Assembly of Pakistan | 1990 | 1993 |
| 10 | 10th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1993 | 1996 |
| 11 | 11th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 1997 | 1999 |
| 12 | 12th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 2002 | 2007 |
| 13 | 13th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 2008 | 2013 |
| 14 | 14th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 2013 | 2018 |
| 15 | 15th National Assembly of the Pakistan | 2018 | 2023 |
| 16 | 16th National Assembly of Pakistan | 2024 | present |
Members of the National Assembly[edit | edit source]
Qualifications[edit | edit source]
The Constitution of Pakistan establishes specific eligibility criteria for members of the National Assembly under Article 62.
These requirements are complemented by comprehensive disqualification provisions outlined in Article 63, which encompasses grounds such as mental instability, insolvency, criminal conviction, acceptance of dual citizenship, or voluntary relinquishment of Pakistani nationality. Additionally, individuals found to have opposed Pakistan's foundational ideology or engaged in activities detrimental to the nation's integrity, subsequent to its establishment in 1947, are subject to disqualification from parliamentary membership.
National Assembly Composition[edit | edit source]
The National Assembly comprises 336 members, with 60 seats constitutionally reserved for women representatives and 10 seats allocated for non-Muslim minorities under Article 51.[3] The distribution of these Assembly seats among the provinces and the federal capital territory is determined according to population figures as officially recorded in the preceding census. The current seat allocation is detailed as follows:[4]
| Province/Area | General Seats | Women | Non-Muslims | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab | 141 | 32 | 173 | |
| Sindh | 61 | 14 | 75 | |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 45 | 10 | 55 | |
| Balochistan | 16 | 4 | 20 | |
| Federal Capital | 3 | 3 | ||
| At-large | 10 | 10 | ||
| Total | 266 | 60 | 10 | 336 |
Tenure[edit | edit source]
The National Assembly functions on a five-year electoral cycle, conducted through universal adult franchise under the principle of "one person, one vote." Each Member of the National Assembly serves for the entire duration of the House unless their tenure is prematurely terminated through death or resignation. The Assembly's existence may also conclude prematurely through dissolution, either upon the Prime Minister's advice or via the President's discretionary powers as stipulated in the Constitution. Under the 1973 Constitution, parliamentary members are constitutionally restricted from holding the office of Prime Minister beyond two terms. During the 1990s, both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif advocated for constitutional amendments to enable a third term for parliamentary members serving as Prime Minister.
Speaker and deputy speaker[edit | edit source]
According to The Constitution
- (1) After a general election, the National Assembly shall, at its first meeting and to the exclusion of any other business, elect from amongst its members a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker and, so often as the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the Assembly shall elect another member as Speaker or, as the case may be, Deputy Speaker.
- (2) Before entering upon office, a member elected as Speaker or Deputy Speaker shall make before the National Assembly oath in the form set out in the Third Schedule.
- (3) When the office of Speaker is vacant, or the Speaker is absent or is unable to perform his functions due to any cause, the Deputy Speaker shall act as Speaker, and if, at that time, the Deputy Speaker is also absent or is unable to act as Speaker due to any cause, such member as may be determined by the rules of procedure of the Assembly shall preside at the meeting of the Assembly.
- (4) The Speaker or the Deputy Speaker shall not preside at a meeting of the Assembly when a resolution for his removal from office is being considered.
- (5) The Speaker may, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign his office.
- (6) The Deputy Speaker may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Speaker, resign his office.
- (7) The office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker shall become vacant if:
- (a) he resigns his office;
- (b) he ceases to be a member of the Assembly;
- (c) he is removed from office by a resolution of the Assembly, of which not less than seven days' notice has been given and which is passed by the votes of the majority of the total membership of the Assembly.
- (8) When the National Assembly is dissolved the Speaker shall continue in his office till the person elected to fill the office by the next Assembly enters upon his office.
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the National Assembly. The speaker is assisted by the Deputy Speaker. Both officers are elected from within the ranks of the National Assembly and, by current convention, are usually members of the majority party. The election of the two officers is the first matter an incoming National Assembly deals with, as mandated by the constitution. Apart from presiding over National Assembly debates, the Speaker may also assume the duties of Acting President, if the position is vacant (in case the President as well as Chairman Senate are not available).
The current Speaker and Deputy Speaker are Ayaz Sadiq (PMLN) and Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah (PPP) respectively.
Sessions[edit | edit source]
The National Assembly operates through scheduled sessions, with constitutional requirements stipulating that it convene for a minimum of 130 days prior to the passage of the First Amendment on 8 May 1974. This amendment subsequently reduced the maximum interval between successive sessions from 130 days to 90 days, while mandating a minimum of three annual sessions. Sessions are convened by the President under Article 54(1) of the Constitution, who specifies the date, time, and venue, typically the Parliament House, in the summoning order. These summoning details are immediately broadcast through radio and television channels, with copies also dispatched to members at their respective residences. Additionally, the Speaker may summon the National Assembly upon requisition by one-fourth of its total membership, requiring such a convened session to occur within 14 days of the request.
Leaders[edit | edit source]
Leader of the House[edit | edit source]
The Leader of the House is the highest-ranking representative of the majority party in the National Assembly, usually the Prime Minister.
Leader of the Opposition[edit | edit source]
The Leader of the Opposition is the highest-ranking representative of the main opposition party.
Committees[edit | edit source]
The Committee System operates with full recognition of its institutional role, granting committees comprehensive authority to examine all aspects of ministerial functioning. The Speaker, acting independently or the National Assembly exercising its prerogative suo moto, may refer any matter to a standing committee without requiring formal motion. These committees possess the authority to summon before them any assembly member or individual possessing specialized knowledge or particular interest in matters under consideration. Furthermore, committees are empowered to receive expert testimony and conduct public hearings as part of their deliberative processes.
Leaders[edit | edit source]
Leader of the House[edit | edit source]
The Leader of the House is the highest-ranking representative of the majority party in the National Assembly, usually the Prime Minister.
Leader of the Opposition[edit | edit source]
The Leader of the Opposition is the highest-ranking representative of the main opposition party.
Pasban-e-Aman Force[edit | edit source]
In 2023, the National Assembly Secretariat established the Pasban-e-Aman (پاسبان امان[B 1]) Force to provide security for the Parliament House. According to the report, the majority of Pasban-e-Aman Force personnel were recruited from Gujar Khan, which represents the constituency of then National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf. The force assumed responsibility for the security of Parliament House and the National Assembly, with security duties that had previously been handled by the Frontier Corps now being transferred to this new unit.
By 15 September 2023, three batches of Pasban-e-Aman Force personnel had completed their anti-terrorism training conducted near Simly Dam. The force's uniform bears resemblance to that of the Elite Force, featuring ATS signage on the caps and "Pasban-e-Aman" inscribed on the right shoulder.[5]
General election 2024[edit | edit source]
Pakistani general election 2024
Dissolution[edit | edit source]
Dissolution of National Assembly The National Assembly of Pakistan may be dissolved under the provisions of Article 58 of the Constitution, which delineates the President's authority to terminate the Assembly's tenure either upon the Prime Minister's advice or through discretionary action. Constitutional Framework:
- Article 58(1): "The President shall dissolve the National Assembly if so advised by the Prime Minister; and the National Assembly shall, unless sooner dissolved, stand dissolved at the expiration of forty-eight hours after the Prime Minister has so advised."
- Article 58(2): "Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (2) or Article 48, the President may dissolve the National Assembly in his discretion where, a vote of no-confidence having been passed against the Prime Minister, no other member of the National Assembly commands the confidence of the majority of the members of the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, as ascertained in a session of the National Assembly summoned for the purpose."
- Article 48(1): "In the exercise of his functions, the President shall act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or the Prime Minister."
The dissolution process mandates specific constitutional procedures. Following dissolution under Article 58(1), the President must schedule general elections within ninety days and establish a caretaker Cabinet pursuant to Articles 224 or 224A. For discretionary dissolution under Article 58(2), the President must refer the matter to the Supreme Court within fifteen days, which adjudicates the reference within thirty days, with the ruling being final.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Pakistan watchdog disqualifies National Assembly opposition leader, other Imran Khan aides after riot convictions". Express Tribune. 15 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ↑ "National Assembly of Pakistan". www.na.gov.pk.
- ↑ "The Constitution of Pakistan". www.pakistani.org. Govt of Pakistan. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- ↑ "National Assembly of Pakistan". www.na.gov.pk. National Assembly Secretariat. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- ↑ "Pasban e Aman Force constituted for security of Parliament House". Pakistan Today. 20 September 2023. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023.
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Romanisation: Qaumī Asembalī Pākistān
Nagarisation: क़ौमी असेम्बली पाकिस्तान
- ↑ पासबान-ए-अमान
Read also[edit | edit source]
- Constitution of Pakistan
- List of constituencies of Pakistan
- Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
- List of provincial assemblies of Pakistan
- Member of the Provincial Assembly
- Politics of Pakistan
- List of Pakistanis
- Pakistan
External links[edit | edit source]
- www
.na of National Assembly of Pakistan.gov .pk - Constitution of Pakistan (English)
- Constitution of Pakistan (Urdu)
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Template:Legislatures of Pakistan Template:National Assembly constituencies of Pakistan
[[Category:Parliament of Pakistan]