Government and Administrative Divisions
Pakistan is an Islamic and Federal State in the form of a republic.
The President is the Head of the State and embodies the unity of the Republic. The President is elected by the members of an electoral college comprised of the members of the Parliament and each Provincial Assembly, serving for a five-year term. The President is also the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
Executive Branch
Executive Branch is comprised of the Prime Minister and the Federal Ministers under the chairmanship of the President. The Prime Minister is the chief executive of the Federation and is elected by more than half votes of total membership of the National Assembly. The President shall appoint the Federal Ministers and Ministers of State in consultation with the Prime Minister. The President shall appoint the Attorney General as well who supports the Federal Government by giving advice on legal matters.
Legislative Branch
The Parliament known as a Majlise Shoora forms the highest Legislative Branch of Pakistan. The Majlie Shoora is comprised of two Houses: the National Assembly and the Senate.
The National Assembly consists of 342 seats, including reserved 60 seats for women and 10 seats for non-Muslims. The members of the Assembly shall be elected directly and serve for five year terms. The Assembly is subject to the dissolution.
The Senate consists of 104 seats and some of them are elected by various bodies. The fourteen, the four women, the four technocrats including ulema and the four non-Muslims, one from each Province shall be elected by the members of each Provincial Assembly; the eight shall be elected from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas; and the two on general seats, and the one woman and the one technocrat including aalim shall be elected from the Federal Capital. The election shall be conducted with the proportional representation system by the single transferable vote. The members shall serve for a term of six years. The Senate is not subject to the dissolution.
The Judiciary
The Judiciary of Pakistan is comprised of a Supreme Court, a High Court for each Province including a High Court for the Islamabad Capital Territory and other courts that shall be formed as necessary by law.
The Judges of the Supreme Court, High Courts and Federal Shariat Court shall be appointed by a Judicial Commission of Pakistan that is comprised of various members such as the Chief Justice of Pakistan, most senior Judges of the Supreme Court, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, the Attorney General and so on. The members who make up the Commission for appointment of Judges shall be different, depending on the type of court.
The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body heading the judicial power of the country. The President shall appoint the Chief Justice of Pakistan and Judges of the Supreme Court in accordance with the Commission. A Judge of the Supreme Court shall stay at the position until he turns the age of sixty-five years.
The President shall also appoint the each of Chief Justices and Judges for the High Courts and the Federal Shariat Court in accordance with the Commission.
The Federal Shariat Court shall investigate and determine if any law or provision of law is incompatible to the Injunction of Islam that is stated in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet. If any law or provision of law is decided to be incompatible to the Injunction of Islam, the President or the Governor shall proceed to amend the law. Also, there is a Supreme Judicial Council comprised of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the two most senior Judges of the Supreme Court and the two most senior Chief Justices of High Courts. The Council shall investigate the capacity and conduct of the Judge. The President may remove the Judge who is decided to be incapable of performing the duties of the office or is guilty of misconduct by the Council.
Local Administrative Units
Local Administrative Units in Pakistan is comprised of the Provinces, the Islamabad Capital Territory and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Pakistan shall promote local Self-Governing institutions that consist of elected representatives of the areas.
Each Province shall hold the Governors who are appointed by the President in consultation with the Prime Minister. Each Province shall also have the Provincial Assemblies that is comprised of general seats and reserved seats for women and non-Muslims. The members shall be elected by the people and serve for five-year terms. The Assembly shall be subject to dissolution by the Governor. There shall be the Provincial Governments as well that is comprised of the Chief Minister and Provincial Ministers under the chairmanship of the Governor. The Chief Minister shall be elected by more than half votes of total membership of the Provincial Assembly. The Governor shall appoint the Provincial Ministers from among members of the Provincial Assembly in consultation with the Chief Minister. The Governor shall appoint the Advocate General as well who supports the Provincial Government by giving advice on legal matters. Provincial Governments shall work for the political, administrative and financial matters.
