The general elections held in 1985 restored the post, with Muhammad Junejo becoming the prime minister. Later that year, the National Assembly passed the controversial eighth amendment to the Constitution, giving the president the power to dismiss the prime minister and the National Assembly without prior consultation.[19] The general elections in 1988 resulted in the Pakistan Peoples Party's Benazir Bhutto becoming the first woman prime minister elected in a Muslim country.[20]
With no party gaining a majority, a coalition was formed with the PML(Q) – a breakaway of the PML(N) and a pro-Musharraf party – leading with MQM. After some political wrangling, Zafarullah Jamali became the prime minister, and passed the XVII amendment which partially restored the power of the president to dissolve the National Assembly, but made the dissolution subject to the Supreme Court of Pakistan's approval.[23]
Following a contempt of court case, the Supreme Court permanently disqualified Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani.[27] Originally, the PPP nomination was Makhdoom Shahbuddin,[28] but he was forced to withdraw after the ANF issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him.[29]Raja Pervaiz Ashraf became the prime minister and remained in office until 2013.[12][29][30][31] The general election held in 2013 saw the PML(N) almost achieve a supermajority. Following this, Nawaz Sharif was elected as prime minister, returning to the post for the third time after a fourteen-year absence, in a democratic transition. In July 2017, Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as prime minister, not on the corruption charges linked to Panama papers leak that he was questioned for in extension due to his sons, but for failing to declare as in his nomination papers, salary from a company owned by his son. His lawyer insisted that though the ousted prime minister was designated chairman of the company, he had never drawn any salary from the company, however, the judges consulting Black's Law Dictionary chose to disqualify Nawaz Sharif for not paying taxes on an asset he never held but could have.[32][33]
On 18 August 2018, Imran Khan was sworn in as the country's 22nd prime minister.[34] On 10 April 2022, a constitutional crisis culminated in Khan losing a motion of no confidence with 174 votes cast against him, ending his premiership and making him the first Prime Minister of Pakistan to be legitimately removed from office, through a motion of no confidence.[35]
On 11 April 2022, Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the country's 23rd Prime Minister. He won by majority 174 votes in the National Assembly of Pakistan.[36][37] Sharif will serve a term, at most of almost one year to fulfill Imran Khan's term until the 2023 Pakistani General Election, though the election may be called earlier.
On 3 March 2024, Shehbaz Sharif was re-elected for the second time as the country's 24th Prime Minister.[38][39] He won by majority in the National Assembly of Pakistan against Omar Ayub Khan in a disputed elections.[40]
Subject to the Constitution the Federation shall be exercised in the name of the President by the Federal Government, consisting of the Prime Minister and the Federal Ministers, which shall act through the Prime Minister, who shall be the chief executive of the Federation."
The principal workplace of the prime minister is the Prime Minister's Office located in northeast Islamabad. The official residence, known as Prime Minister Enclave, is near the Prime Minister's Office. The prime minister is the chief executive who heads and exercises the authority of the Government of Pakistan. After obtaining a vote of confidence, the prime minister is invited by the president to take the oath of office and form the government.[41] In practice, the prime minister nominates the members of the Cabinet who supervise the important functions and ministries of the Government of Pakistan[41] and communicates to the president all decisions of the Cabinet relating to the administration of affairs of state and proposals for legislation.[43]
The prime minister, in consultation with the Cabinet, schedules and attends the sessions of the Parliament and is required to answer questions from members of parliament to the ministers.
The prime minister makes appointments on various important positions, including:
The prime minister is vested with command authority over the Pakistani nuclear arsenal and represents the country in various delegations, high-level meetings, and international organisations that require the attendance of the highest government office and also addresses the nation on various issues of national importance.[7]
Eligibility
The Constitution of Pakistan requires that the prime minister be a member of the National Assembly.[44] As well as this, one must:
be able to prove good conduct of character and be not commonly known to violate Islamic injunctions
have adequate knowledge of Islamic teachings and practice obligatory duties prescribed by Islam, as well as abstaining from major sins
have not, after the establishment of Pakistan, worked against the integrity of the country or opposed the ideology of Pakistan.[45]
Selection and removal
The candidates for the prime minister are members of the National Assembly who were chosen through direct elections by popular vote following campaigning on the party platforms.[46] Usually, the leader of the majority party in the parliament retains the office of prime minister, and forms the government either by coalition or by simple majority.[47] The candidate must retain the vote of confidence of the members of the parliament before being invited by the president to form the government.[41]
The prime minister can be removed before the expiry of the term through a vote of no confidence in the parliament.[41] If the vote of no confidence is passed by the National Assembly by a simple majority, the prime minister ceases to retain the office.[41] In the past, prime ministers (and their governments) have been dismissed by the president exercising the VIII Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan (1985), but this was repealed by the XVIII Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan (2010).[48][49] The prime minister has absolute constitutional immunity from criminal and civil proceedings, and no proceedings can be initiated or continued against him during the term of his office.[50]
On 28 July 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified the prime minister Nawaz Sharif from retaining the office due to his failure in fulfilling the eligibility requirements as enshrined in Articles 62 of the Constitution. This was in the aftermath of the Supreme Court hearing regarding the Panama Papers Case. This also resulted in him being permanently disqualified from membership of the parliament.[53]
The prime minister is elected by the National Assembly.[54] The National Assembly meets on the twenty-first day after a general election (at least every five years) unless the president calls for a vote of no confidence. Whichever member of the National assembly is chosen serves as the prime minister until the next election or until he fails to maintain the confidence of the National Assembly.
91. The Cabinet:
(1) There shall be a Cabinet of Ministers, with the Prime Minister at its head, to aid and advise the President in the exercise of his functions.
(2) The National Assembly shall meet on the twenty-first day following the day on which a general election to the Assembly is held unless sooner summoned by the President.
(3) After the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, the National Assembly shall, to the exclusion of any other business, proceed to elect without debate one of its Muslim members to be the Prime Minister.
(4) The Prime Minister shall be elected by the votes of the majority of the total membership of the National Assembly:
Provided that, if no member secures such majority in the first poll, a second poll shall be held between the members who secure the two highest numbers of votes in the first poll and the member who secures a majority of votes of the members present and voting shall be declared to have been elected as Prime Minister:
Provided further that, if the number of votes secured by two or more members securing the highest number of votes is equal, further poll shall be held between them until one of them secures a majority of votes of the members present and voting.
(5) The member elected under clause (4) shall be called upon by the President to assume the office of Prime Minister and he shall, before entering upon the office, make before the President oath in the form set out in the Third Schedule:
Provided that there shall be no restriction on the number of terms for the office of the Prime Minister.
Oath of office
The prime minister is required to make and subscribe to, in the presence of the president, an oath or affirmation that they shall protect, preserve and defend the Constitution as follows:
That I will bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan:
That, as Prime Minister of Pakistan, I will discharge my duties, and perform my functions, honestly, to the best of my ability, faithfully in accordance with the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the law, and always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well- being and prosperity of Pakistan:
That I will strive to preserve the Islamic Ideology which is the basis for the creation of Pakistan:
That I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions:
That I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:
That, in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favor, affection or ill- will:
And that I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person any matter which shall be brought under my consideration or shall become known to me as Prime Minister except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as Prime Minister.
May Allah Almighty help and guide me (A'meen).[55]
^The salary of Prime Minister of Pakistan is 2 Lakhs 1 thousand per month (9,50,574/month equivalent US$1,323) inclusive of all allowances and exclusive of the taxes, He is not receiving any payment from government. The salaries of federal ministers, state ministers, senators, high court judges, and president is more than the prime minister of Pakistan.[2][3][4]
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