Elections in Pakistan

Since establishment in 1947, Pakistan has been a federal parliamentary democratic republic with a non-symmetric federal government. The people of Pakistan choose their leaders through elections. At the national level, they elect a bicameral legislature called the Parliament of Pakistan. This parliament has two parts: the lower house, the National Assembly, and the upper house, the Senate. Members of the National Assembly are chosen directly by voters using a first-past-the-post voting system, while Senate members are selected by elected provincial legislators.

The head of government, the Prime Minister, is chosen by the most members of the National Assembly. The head of state, the President, is selected by a group called the Electoral College, which includes members from both houses of Parliament and the four provincial assemblies. Pakistan also has many local governments that are elected by people in different areas.

The Election Commission of Pakistan oversees these elections. It is led by a Chief Election Commissioner and follows rules set in the Pakistan Constitution. The country uses a multi-party system, with the National Assembly having 342 seats and the Senate having 100 seats. General elections for the National Assembly happen every five years, and elections for the Senate happen every six years. By law, general elections must happen within two months after the National Assembly finishes its term.

History of elections in Pakistan

Between 1947 and 1958, Pakistan did not hold direct elections at the national level. Instead, elections were held in local areas. The first direct elections were for the Punjab Provincial Assembly in March 1951. Many people ran for office, and political parties competed, but not everyone was able to vote.

In 1970, Pakistan held its first direct general election after independence. This election was very important because it decided whether the people in East Pakistan, who made up most of the country’s population, would have more control over their government. The election was won by the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, but the government did not give power to the winners, which led to problems and conflict.

From 1977 to 2013, Pakistan had many changes in its government. Sometimes leaders were chosen by voting, and sometimes the military took control. Important elections happened in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2008, and 2013. Leaders like Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were elected during this time, but they also faced challenges and sometimes lost power.

In 2008, the PPP and PML (N) parties won the most seats and formed a new government. In 2013, the PML (N) won again and formed the government.

The president of Pakistan is chosen differently than the prime minister. From 1956 to 2013, presidents were often chosen by special groups of leaders instead of by all the people voting. In 1956, Iskandar Ali Mirza became the first president. Later presidents included Ayub Khan, who changed how presidents were chosen, and others like Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Farooq Leghari, Rafiq Tarar, Pervez Musharraf, Asif Zardari, and Mamnoon Hussain.

Electoral system

In law and Constitution

The Constitution of Pakistan explains the basic rules for elections. It says a person cannot be a member of both the lower house, called the National Assembly, and the upper house, called the Senate, at the same time. If the National Assembly or a Provincial Assembly ends, elections must happen within ninety days, and results must be known within fourteen days after voting ends.

Election Commission of Pakistan

Main article: Election Commission of Pakistan

The Election Commission of Pakistan is in charge of running elections. It was created in 1956 and organizes elections for Parliament and the four provincial assemblies. The Commission includes a Chief Election Commissioner and four members, one from each province, chosen by the president. The Chief Election Commissioner serves for three years and has security and independence in their role.

Levels of elections

Pakistan uses a parliamentary system where people vote to choose leaders. Citizens vote in constituencies to elect members of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies. The person with the most votes in each area wins a seat.

The National Assembly has 342 seats, and members serve for five years. Some seats are reserved for women and non-Muslims, and these are filled based on the total votes each political party receives. The Senate has 104 members, chosen by provincial assemblies and other elected officials using a special voting system. The president of Pakistan is chosen by elected members of Parliament and provincial assemblies in an indirect election. Local government elections happen every four years to help manage community affairs.

Methods of voting qualification

To be a member of the Parliament in Pakistan, a person must be a citizen, at least 25 years old for the National Assembly or 30 years old for the Senate, and must follow the teachings of Islam. They should also be honest, have good character, and not have been convicted of serious crimes.

Anyone who is a citizen of Pakistan, at least 18 years old, and living in an electoral area can register to vote. Only those registered on the electoral rolls can cast their votes in elections.

Voting registration system

In Pakistan, special officials called Returning Officers help organize elections. They make sure everything runs smoothly and fairly. Voters go to special places called polling stations to cast their votes. Each voter gets a piece of paper called a ballot to mark their choice.

After voting ends, the ballots are counted right at the polling stations. The results are shared with everyone, and the winners are announced. This process helps make sure that elections are clear and honest for everyone.