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PAKISTAN
National Assembly

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Oversight and Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majlis-E-Shoora / Parliament
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Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1948 - 1969
1974 - 1978
1985 - 2000
2003 -
LEADERSHIP
President Asad Qaiser (M) 
Notes Elected on 15 Aug. 2018.
Secretary General Tahir Hussain (M) 
Notes 11 Dec. 2017 -
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 342 / 330
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


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Women (current number) 68 (20.61%)
Mode of designation directly elected 342
Notes Includes 60 seats reserved for women and 10 seats for non-Muslim minorities.
Term 5 years
Last renewal dates 25 July 2018
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address National Assembly
Parliament House
Constitution Avenue
ISLAMABAD 44000
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (9251) 920 37 34
922 10 82
922 10 83
Fax (9251) 920 46 73
922 11 06
E-mail assembly@na.gov.pk (Secretariat)
secretary@na.gov.pk (Secretary)
Website
http://www.na.gov.pk/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majlis-E-Shoora / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 11 February 2002
Election Laws (Volume I - III)
Mode of designation directly elected 342
Constituencies 272 single-member constituencies
Breakdown of the number of seats by provinces:
Punjab (148 seats); Sindh (61 seats), the North West Frontier Province (NWFP, 35 seats), Balochistan (14 seats), the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA, 12 seats), and the Federal Capital (2 seats).
Voting system Majority: Direct election with simple-majority vote.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections.
Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - age: 21 years
- Pakistani citizenship
- residence in the constituency
- disqualifications: insanity
CANDIDATES
Eligibility Qualified electors
- age: 25 years
- Pakistani citizenship
- good moral reputation
- if Muslims, fulfilment of certain conditions relating to Islam
- ineligibility: conviction of crime involving moral turpitude or giving false evidence, personal action against the integrity of the country, undischarged bankruptcy, imprisonment for a term of not less than five years, government contractors
Incompatibilities - membership of the armed forces
- public office
- office of profit in the service of Pakistan
Candidacy requirements - candidatures proposed and seconded by electors of the same constituency
- deposit of Rs. 4,000 reimbursed if the candidate polls more than 1/8 of the total votes cast in the constituency

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majlis-E-Shoora / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 25 July 2018
Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all the seats in the National Assembly.
Text is being prepared.
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Distribution of votes
Distribution of seats
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
262

68

20.61%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
There are 12 vacant seats.

Source: National Assembly (17.08.2018)

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name (generic / translated) Majlis-E-Shoora / Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation
Start of the mandate · When the Assembly meets first (Art. 52 of the Constitution of 12.04.1973, as amended up to and including 03.07.1997)
Validation of mandates · Validation by a Electoral Tribunal only in case of challenge through election petition (Art. 225 of the Constitution, S. 57 (1) of The Representation of the People Act)
· Procedure (see S. 52 to 77 of The Representation of the People Act)
End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends - or on the day of early dissolution (Art. 52 of the Constitution; for early dissolution, see Art. 58 of the Constitution)
Can MPs resign? Yes · Yes, of their own free will (Art. 64 (1) of the Constitution, Rule 25 (1) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
· Procedure (Art. 64 (1) of the Constitution, Rule 25 (2) to (4) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the resignation need not be accepted
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Revocation before expiry of mandate by the party (Art. 63A of the Constitution, S. 99 (2) of The Representation of the People Act, S. 8B of The Political Parties Act)
(b) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter: loss of mandate for absence for forty consecutive sitting days without leave of the House (Art. 64 (2) of the Constitution)
(c) Loss of mandate for disqualification, including incompatibilities (Art. 62, 63, and 223 of the Constitution, S. 99 (1) and 100 of The Representation of the People Act, S. 8 of the Political Parties Act). Procedure (Art. 63 (2) of the Constitution, Rule 28 (1) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business).
(d) Loss of mandate for false or incorrect declaration of assets
(e) Death (Rule 28 (2) of the Rules of Procedure)
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament:
1. The Speaker
2. The Deputy Speaker
3. The Leader of the House
4. The Leader of the Opposition
5. The other MPs
· Outside Parliament (Warrant of Precedence for Pakistan): the official order of precedence ranks the MPs in the 16th position.
Indemnities, facilities and services · Official passport
· Basic salary (Art. 250 of the Constitution, Salary and Allowance Act): PKR 5,000
+ Additional allowance: PKR 12,600 per month
· Partial exemption from tax
· No pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Assistants for the Chairmen of Standing Committees
(b) Official housing for the Chairmen of Standing Committees
(c) Official car for the Chairmen of Standing Committees
(d) Postal and telephone services
(e) Travel and transport
Obligation to declare personal assets Yes
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 66 (1) of the Constitution).
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: discussion on the conduct of a Judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court (Art. 68 of the Constitution), offence or insult (Rules 267 and 268 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 66 (2) and 250 of the Constitution in connection with S. 3 of The Members of the National Assembly (Exemption from Prevention Detention and Personal Appearance) Ordinance). See also Art. 69 of the Constitution.
· It covers all offences and protects MPs only from being held in preventive custody. In case of arrest, detention, conviction or release of a Member, the Speaker has to be informed (see Fourth Schedule to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business).
· Derogations: reasons of State connected with defence, external affairs, or the security of Pakistan or any part thereof
· Parliamentary inviolability prevents MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal (to appear in person in any Civil or Revenue Court, or before any Election Tribunal).
· Protection is provided during sessions, and for a period of fourteen days before and fourteen days after the session. Since it does not cover judicial proceedings in general, it does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted for appearance in person in any Civil or Revenue Court, or before any Election Tribunal (S. 3 of The Members of the National Assembly (Exemption from Prevention Detention and Personal Appearance) Ordinance):
- Competent authority: the Court
- Procedure (S. 4 of The Members of the National Assembly (Exemption from Prevention Detention and Personal Appearance) Ordinance). In this case, MPs can(not) be heard. They do (not) have means of appeal.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned can be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament:
- Competent authority: the Speaker
- Procedure: the Speaker may summon the jailed MP if he thinks that his presence is necessary.
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is no training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
· Handbook of parliamentary procedure:
- Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is not compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings or committee meetings. For leave of absence, see Rules 23 and 24 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to attend 40 consecutive sitting days (Art. 64 (2) of the Constitution): loss of mandate
· Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the National Assembly
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in Rules 14 (2), 15, 252, 266 to 269 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.
· Disciplinary measures foreseen:
- Warning for irrelevance (Rule 252 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
- Order to discontinue the speech (Rule 252 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
- Order to withdraw (Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
- Naming and suspension (Rule 268 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
- Adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting (Rule 269 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
· Specific cases:
- Offence or insult (Rules 267 and 268 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business): order to withdraw, naming and suspension
· Competent body to judge such cases (Rules 14 (2), 15, and 266 (1) of the Rules of Procedure):
- Warning for irrelevance, order to discontinue the speech, order to withdraw, naming, adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting: the Speaker or Presiding Officer
- Suspension: the National Assembly
The Sergeant-at-Arms enforces the orders.
· Procedure:
- Warning for irrelevance, order to discontinue the speech (Rule 252 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
- Order to withdraw (Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
- Naming and suspension (Rule 268 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
- Adjournment of the House, suspension of the sitting (Rule 269 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business)
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system but there are some relevant provisions (Art. 63 (1) (d), (e), (g) to (l), (n), and (o), and Art. 223 of the Constitution, S. 99 (1) (d) to (h), (1A) (d), (e), (g) to (l), and (n) to (q), and S. 100 (1) of The Representation of the People Act).
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct: loss of mandate (Art. 63 (1) (d), (e), (g) to (l), (n), and (o), and Art. 223 of the Constitution, S. 99 (1) (d) to (h), (1A) (d), (e), (g) to (l), and (n) to (q), and S. 100 (1) of The Representation of the People Act; incompatibilities, misconduct)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Chief Election Commissioner
· Procedure:
- Loss of mandate (Art. 63 (1) (d), (e), (g) to (l), (n), and (o), and Art. 223 of the Constitution, S. 99 (1) (d) to (h), (1A) (d), (e), (g) to (l), and (n) to (q), and S. 100 (1) of The Representation of the People Act; incompatibilities, misconduct).
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 17 August 2018
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