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Pakistan
Parliament and Federal Government
The bicameral federal legislature is the Majlis-i-Shoora (Council
of Advisers), consisting of the Senate (upper house) and National
Assembly (lower house) . Members of the National Assembly are
elected by universal adult suffrage (over twenty-one years of
age in Pakistan). Seats are allocated to each of the four provinces,
the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Islamabad Capital
Territory on the basis of population. National Assembly members
serve for the parliamentary term, which is five years, unless
they die or resign sooner, or unless the National Assembly is
dissolved. Although the vast majority of the members are Muslim,
about 5 percent of the seats are reserved for minorities, including
Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs. Elections for minority seats are
held on the basis of separate electorates at the same time as
the polls for Muslim seats during the general elections.
The prime minister is appointed by the president from among the
members of the National Assembly. The prime minister is assisted
by the Federal Cabinet, a council of ministers whose members are
appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister.
The Federal Cabinet comprises the ministers, ministers of state,
and advisers. As of early 1994, there were thirty-three ministerial
portfolios: commerce; communications; culture; defense; defense
production; education; environment; finance and economic affairs;
food and agriculture; foreign affairs; health; housing; information
and broadcasting; interior; Kashmiri affairs and Northern Areas;
law and justice; local government; minority affairs; narcotics
control; parliamentary affairs; petroleum and natural resources
production; planning and development; railroads; religious affairs;
science and technology; social welfare; special education; sports;
state and frontier regions; tourism; water and power; women's
development; and youth affairs.
The Senate is a permanent legislative body with equal representation
from each of the four provinces, elected by the members of their
respective provincial assemblies. There are representatives from
the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and from Islamabad Capital
Territory. The chairman of the Senate, under the constitution,
is next in line to act as president should the office become vacant
and until such time as a new president can be formally elected.
Both the Senate and the National Assembly can initiate and pass
legislation except for finance bills. Only the National Assembly
can approve the federal budget and all finance bills. In the case
of other bills, the president may prevent passage unless the legislature
in joint sitting overrules the president by a majority of members
of both houses present and voting.
Other offices and bodies having important roles in the federal
structure include the attorney general, the auditor general, the
Federal Land Commission, the Federal Public Service Commission,
the Central Election Commission, and the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman).
Data as of April 1994
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