National Assembly of Pakistan

The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. It is made up of up to 336 members. Most of these members are chosen by voters across the country, with 60 seats reserved for women and religious minorities.

Members of the National Assembly serve for five years, unless the President dissolves the house based on the Prime Minister’s advice. They meet in the Parliament House in the Red Zone, Islamabad.

In April 2022, the National Assembly was dissolved by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, but the Supreme Court of Pakistan later reversed this decision. This led to a vote for a new Prime Minister, which was won by Shehbaz Sharif.

The current National Assembly is the 16th, formed after the 2024 Pakistani general election in February 2024. This election was disputed, and the assembly has experienced many changes since then.

History

The first meeting of Pakistan's early government happened on August 10, 1947, in Karachi. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was chosen as the leader of this group, and the country's flag was officially approved.

Soon after, important decisions were made about how to respect the country's leader and protect the rights of all people. On August 15, 1947, Pakistan officially became a country, and Jinnah took on an important role as the country's first leader. He stayed in this role until he passed away in September 1948.

Powers

The Constitution of Pakistan, created in 1973, sets up a government where the president is the ceremonial leader and the prime minister is chosen by voters to lead. The National Assembly, together with the Senate, makes up the country's Parliament. The National Assembly creates laws for the whole country and watches over the government to make sure it follows the rules.

Members of the National Assembly discuss important issues, ask questions to government leaders, and form groups to review how money is spent. This helps keep the government accountable. The Senate, the smaller upper house, represents each part of the country equally and helps bring people together. Only Parliament can change the Constitution, and it needs a big majority to do so.

List of Assemblies

Members of the National Assembly

See also: Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and List of Pakistan National Assembly Seats

The National Assembly of Pakistan has 336 members. Some of these seats are reserved for women and for people from different religious backgrounds. These seats are shared among the provinces and the capital city based on how many people live there.

Members of the National Assembly serve for five years unless they leave early or the group is dissolved. This group meets to help make laws for the country.

Speaker and deputy speaker

The National Assembly elects a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker from its members after a general election. This is the first task the Assembly does when it meets. Before they start their jobs, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker make a special promise in front of the Assembly.

If the Speaker cannot be there or cannot do their job, the Deputy Speaker takes over. If both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not able to do their jobs, another member chosen by the Assembly’s rules will lead the meeting. The Speaker or Deputy Speaker does not lead when there is a vote to remove them from their job.

The Speaker can leave their job by writing to the President, and the Deputy Speaker can leave by writing to the Speaker. The job ends if the person stops being a member of the Assembly or if the Assembly votes to remove them with enough notice.

The Speaker of the House is the leader of the National Assembly. They are helped by the Deputy Speaker. Both are chosen from the members of the National Assembly and usually come from the party that has the most members. Right now, the Speaker is Ayaz Sadiq (PMLN) and the Deputy Speaker is Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah (PPP). The Speaker can also become the Acting President if there is no President and no Chairman of the Senate.

Sessions

The National Assembly holds meetings called sessions. Before May 8, 1974, these meetings needed to happen for 130 days. After an important change in the rules, the time between meetings was shortened to 90 days, and there must be at least three meetings each year. The President calls these meetings, choosing when and where they happen, usually at the Parliament House. This information is quickly shared on radio and television, and members also get copies sent to their homes. Sometimes, if enough members ask, the Speaker can call a meeting within 14 days.

Procedure

The National Assembly and the Senate together make up Pakistan's Parliament. The National Assembly has special powers to make laws about money, but for other laws, both houses work together.

Laws can start in either house. If one house approves a law, it goes to the other house. If the second house approves it without changes, the President must sign it to become official. If the second house does not approve it or takes too long, both houses meet together to decide. If they agree, the President must sign it.

The President has ten days to sign a law. If it is not about money, the President can send it back for changes. If it is sent back, both houses meet again. If they still agree, the President must sign it within ten days, or it becomes official automatically.

The Parliament can also make laws for more than one province if those provinces agree. During special times of crisis, the Parliament can make laws for a province, but these laws stop after six months when the crisis ends.

Leaders

Leader of the House

Main articles: Prime Minister of Pakistan and List of Prime Ministers of Pakistan

The Leader of the House is the top member from the biggest party in the National Assembly, usually the Prime Minister.

Leader of the Opposition

Main article: Leader of the Opposition (Pakistan)

The Leader of the Opposition is the top member from the main opposition party.

Committees

The National Assembly of Pakistan uses committees to look into matters related to government ministries. The Speaker of the Assembly or the Assembly itself can send a topic to a standing committee without needing a special vote.

These committees can call anyone, including members of the Assembly or experts, to give evidence and share their thoughts. They can also hold public meetings to discuss important issues.

Pasban-e-Aman Force

In 2023, the National Assembly Secretariat created the Pasban-e-Aman Force to protect the Parliament House. Most of the force’s members come from Gujar Khan, the area represented by the then NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf. This new force took over the security of the Parliament House from the Frontier Corps. By September 15, 2023, three groups of Pasban-e-Aman members had completed special training near the Simly Dam. Their uniforms look similar to those of the Elite Force, with special signs on their caps and jackets.

Composition and elections

The Parliament of Pakistan has two parts: the National Assembly and the Senate. The National Assembly is made up of 336 members. Most of these members, 266, are chosen by voters in elections. There are also 60 seats reserved for women and 10 for religious minorities, filled based on the votes for different parties.

Members are elected every five years unless the group is dissolved earlier. To be a member, a person must be a citizen of Pakistan and at least 25 years old.

2024 election

Main article: 2024 Pakistani general election

This section is from 2024 Pakistani general election.

The election was postponed in the NA-8 Bajaur constituency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because a candidate could not participate. Elections in two other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also delayed for the same reason.

Dissolution

The National Assembly can be closed by the Prime Minister. When this happens, new elections are held to choose new members for the Assembly. This process is explained in Article 58 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The President closes the Assembly when the Prime Minister advises it. The Assembly stays closed for forty-eight hours after this advice. If a vote of no-confidence passes against the Prime Minister and no one else can gain the support of most members, the President may also close the Assembly.