Governor and Chief Minister

The Governor

• Appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister (Article 101).
• Must be at least 35 years old, a registered voter and resident of the province.
• Acts on the advice of the Chief Minister or provincial cabinet (Article 105).
• Summons and prorogues the provincial assembly, assents to bills (Article 116) and issues ordinances (Article 128).
• Dissolves the provincial assembly on the Chief Minister's advice (Article 112).
• Serves as chancellor of public universities in many provinces.
• Represents the federation in the province.

The Chief Minister

• Elected by a majority of the total membership of the provincial assembly (Article 130).
• Head of the provincial cabinet; the executive authority of the province is exercised through the Chief Minister (Article 129).
• Selects provincial ministers and up to five advisers.
• Leads provincial policy on education, health, police, agriculture, local government and development.
• Member of the Council of Common Interests and the National Economic Council.
• Can be removed by a vote of no-confidence (Article 136).

Governor's rule and emergencies

Under Article 232 (emergency) and Article 234 (failure of constitutional machinery), the President can take over provincial functions, which are then exercised through the Governor. The 18th Amendment added safeguards, requiring the provincial assembly's resolution or parliamentary approval.

Challenges

• Tension between the Governor and Chief Minister when they belong to different parties.
• Concentration of power in the Chief Minister's office.
• Weak delegation to local governments.

Conclusion

The Governor and Chief Minister reflect the parliamentary model at the provincial level: a constitutional head and an accountable executive. After the 18th Amendment, the Chief Minister's office carries great responsibility for service delivery.