ASSIGNMENT # 3 Submitted by: Fiza Ahmad Registration number: FA21-BSE-008 Submitted to: Dr. Muhammad Mubeen Date: 5/8/2022 ELECTIONS IN PAKISTAN COMSATS University of Islamabad, Vehari Campus Elections In Pakistan Since its establishment in 1947, Pakistan has had an asymmetric federal government and is a federal parliamentary democratic republic. At the national level, the people of Pakistan elect a bicameral legislature, the Parliament of Pakistan. The parliament consists of a lower house called the National Assembly, which is elected directly, and an upper house called the Senate, whose members are chosen by elected provincial legislators. The head of government, the Prime Minister, is elected by the majority members of the National Assembly and the head of state (and figurehead), the President, is elected by the Electoral College, which consists of both houses of Parliament together with the four provincial assemblies. In addition to the national parliament and the provincial assemblies, Pakistan also has more than five thousand elected local governments. The Election Commission of Pakistan, a constitutionally-established institution chaired by an appointed and designated Chief Election Commissioner, supervises the general elections. The Pakistan Constitution defines (to a basic extent) how general elections are held in Part VIII, Chapter 2 and various amendments. A multi-party system is in effect, with the National Assembly consisting of 342 seats and the Senate consisting of 100 seats (after ex-FATA merger) elected from the four provinces. The Constitution dictates that the general elections be held every five years when the National Assembly has completed its term or has been dissolved and that the Senatorial elections be held to elect members for terms of six years. By law, general elections must be held within two months of the National Assembly completing its term. Past elections 1954 election (indirect elections) = Muslim League 1962 election (independents-only indirect elections) = Independents 1970 election (first direct general election) = Awami League 1977 election = Pakistan Peoples Party 1985 election = Independents 1988 election = Pakistan Peoples Party 1990 election = Pakistan Muslim League 1993 election = Pakistan Peoples Party 1997 election = Pakistan Muslim League (N) 2002 election = Pakistan Muslim League (Q) 2008 election = Pakistan Peoples Party 2013 election = Pakistan Muslim League (N) 2018 election = Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf The first direct elections held in the country after independence were for the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab between 10– 20 March 1951. The elections were held for 197 seats. As many as 939 candidates contested the election for 189 seats, while 2 the remaining seats were filled unopposed. Seven political parties were in the race. The election was held on a universal basis with approximately one-million voters. The turnout remained low: in Lahore, the turnout was 30 percent of the listed voters, and in rural areas of Punjab it was much lower. The 1970 Pakistani general election, was the first direct general election after independence of Pakistan from British India. After a decades-long struggle, the military government was forced to transfer power to democratically-elected officials. In East Pakistan, the election was portrayed as referendum on self-governance for the Bengali citizens of Pakistan, who made up nearly 55% of Pakistan's population and were yet not given rights consistent with those of West Pakistanis. The election was won by Awami League, having 167 seats out of 313, and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was to be the first democratically-elected Prime Minister of Pakistan. But the military government, at the request of opposition leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, refused to transfer power to the elected Parliament, causing the beginning of the Bangladesh Liberation War. General elections from 1977 to 2013 After the Separation of East Pakistan, democracy returned to the country. In 1977, the general elections were held but due to election violence instigated by the right-wing PNA, the martial law took advance against the left oriented Pakistan Peoples Party, or PPP. In 1988, the general elections were held again which marked the PPP coming in power but dismissed in two years following the amid lawlessness situation in the country. In 1990, the general elections saw the right-wing alliance forming the government but dismissed in 1993 after the alliance collapse. The 1997 general elections saw the center-right, Pakistan Muslim League (N), or PML (N), gaining the exclusive mandate in the country and supermajority in the parliament. Despite Sharif's popularity in 1998 and popular peace initiatives in 1999, the conspiracy was hatched against Sharif by General Musharraf, accusing Sharif of hijacking the plane and pressed terrorism charges against Sharif in the military courts; thus, ending Sharif's government. Ordered by the Supreme Court, General Musharraf held general election in 2002, bearing Sharif and Benazir Bhutto from keeping the public office. With Zafarullah Jamali becoming the Prime minister in 2002, he left the office for Shaukat Aziz in 2004. After the deadly 9/11 attacks in the United States and Musharraf's unconditional policy to support the American war in the Afghanistan, further damaged Musharraf's credibility in the country. In an unsuccessful attempt to dismiss the Judicial system, Musharraf dramatically fall from power. The 2008 general elections allowed the PPP, assisted with the left-wing alliance, further consolidated in opposition to Musharraf, though it was plagued with loadshedding, law and order situation, foreign policy issues, and poor economic performances. In recent elections held in 2013, the PML (N) won the majority seats in the elections and is expected to be forming government in last weeks of May 2013. 2008 General elections This election led to strong showings for the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PMLN), who signed the Bhurban Accord in response to the election results. The election was held in Pakistan on 18 February 2008, after being postponed from 8 January 2008. The original date was intended to elect members of the National Assembly of Pakistan, the lower house of the Majlis-e-Shoora (the nation's parliament). Pakistan's two main opposition parties, the PPP and the PML (N) won the majority of seats in the election. The PPP and PML (N) formed the new coalition government with Yousaf Raza Gillani as Prime Minister of Pakistan. Following the election, Pervez Musharraf acknowledged that the process had been free and fair. He conceded the defeat of the PML (Q) and pledged to work with the new Parliament. The voter turnout for the election was 35,170,435 people (44%). By-elections for 28 seats (23 provincial and 5 national) have been delayed numerous times, with most of them now held on 26 June 2008. Assuming the presidency in 1958, Ayub Khan introduced a "System of Basic Democracy" which mean, "the voters delegate their rights to choose the president and the members of the national and provincial assemblies to 80,000 representatives called Basic Democrats”. Witnessing the events in 1965, the new drafted constitution created the Electoral College system, making the president as mere figurehead. In 1973, Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry became the first president from the PPP in an indirect polling. With the martial law remained effective from 1977 till 1988, civil servant Ghulam Ishaq Khan ran for the presidency on a PPP ticket in a deal to support Benazir Bhutto for presidency. With special powers granted to President GI Khan, he dismissed two elected government during period 1990 and 1993; he too was forced out from the office the same year. After the 1993 general election, the PPP nominated Farooq Leghari who soon secured majority votes in the parliament. Originally elected for fiveyear term, Leghari was forced resigned from the presidency after forcing out Benazir Bhutto from the government in 1996. In 1997 general election, Nawaz Sharif called for fresh presidential elections and nominated Rafiq Tarar for the presidency. In an indirect election, Tarar received heavy votes from the electors of Electoral College, becoming the first president from the PML (N). In 2007, Musharraf again restored his appointment after the opposition parties also boycotted the elections. As Musharraf was forced out from power, Asif Zardari of PPP became president after a close presidential election in 2008. The Pakistani general election of 2013 was held on 11 May 2013. Problems with providing electricity was one of the major issues with the winning candidate, Nawaz Sharif, promising to reform electrical service and provide reliable service. Mamnoon Hussain won this election. 4 Fazal Elahi Chaudhry become president in 1973 with PPP's support in four provinces. GI Khan was candidate of PPP in return of supporting Benazir Bhutto in 1988. Pervez Musharraf5 gained political support from PML (Q) as their president in 2004 and 2007; both elections were controversial as leading parties PPP and PML (N) boycotted the elections. References "Senate of Pakistan" (http://www.senate.gov.pk/en/essence.php?id=10&catid=4&subcatid=138&cattitle=A bout%20the%20Senate). “Constitution of Pakistan” (http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part8.ch2.html). Constitution of Pakistan. Constitution of Pakistan. Retrieved 23 May 2013. "Ghulam Ishaq Khan becomes President" (http://storyofpakistan.com/ghulam-ishaq-khan-becomes-pres ident/). Ghulam Ishak Khan becomes President. June 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
