The legislature in Pakistan

National Assembly (Article 51)

• 336 members: 266 elected directly on general seats, 60 reserved for women and 10 for non-Muslims, filled by proportional representation from party lists.
• Term of five years unless dissolved earlier.
• Elects the Prime Minister and can remove him or her through a vote of no-confidence (Article 95).
• Money bills, including the budget, originate in and are passed by the National Assembly (Article 73); the Senate can only make recommendations within 14 days.
• Presided over by the Speaker.

Senate (Article 59)

• 96 members: 23 from each province (14 general seats, 4 women, 4 technocrats including ulema, 1 non-Muslim) and 4 from Islamabad.
• Provincial senators are elected by the provincial assemblies through the single transferable vote.
• Members serve six years, with half retiring every three years; the Senate is never dissolved.
• Equal provincial representation protects smaller provinces in the federation.
• Presided over by the Chairman.

Functions of Parliament

• Legislation on federal subjects.
• Constitutional amendments by a two-thirds majority of the total membership of each house (Article 239).
• Financial control through the budget and the Public Accounts Committee.
• Oversight of the executive through questions, motions and standing committees.
• Election of the President (with the provincial assemblies).

Provincial assemblies (Article 106)

• Punjab 371, Sindh 168, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 145 and Balochistan 65 seats, including reserved seats for women and non-Muslims.
• Legislate on provincial subjects, which expanded after the 18th Amendment.
• Elect the chief minister and pass the provincial budget.
• Elect senators from the province and vote in presidential elections.

Challenges

• Executive dominance and frequent use of ordinances.
• Low attendance and weak committees.
• Political polarization and boycotts.
• Limited research support for members.

Conclusion

Parliament and the provincial assemblies are the foundation of representative government in Pakistan. Their effectiveness depends on active committees, meaningful debate and respect for their authority.