Prime Minister of Pakistan facts for kids
The Prime Minister of Pakistan is like the main leader of the government in Pakistan. They are in charge of running the country day-to-day. Even though the President of Pakistan is the official head of the country, the Prime Minister holds most of the power. They lead the political party or group that has the most seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan, which is a big part of Pakistan's Parliament.
The Prime Minister is known as the "chief executive" of Pakistan. This means they lead the government's executive branch, manage the country's economy, and guide the National Assembly. They also lead the group of ministers called the Cabinet of Pakistan. The Prime Minister plays a big role in both Pakistan's internal matters and its relationships with other countries. They are chosen by the members of the National Assembly. The Constitution of Pakistan gives the Prime Minister the power to appoint the Cabinet and make important government decisions.
The Prime Minister also advises the President on important issues. They help choose leaders for the military, making sure the civilian government stays in charge. The Prime Minister's powers have grown a lot over time, with a system of checks and balances to keep things fair. There were times when Pakistan was under military rule (1958–1973, 1977–1985, and 1999–2002), and during those times, the Prime Minister's job didn't exist. The military leaders, usually the President, took over those powers.
Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of Pakistan |
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Prime Ministerial Standard
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State Emblem of Pakistan
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| Executive branch of the Government of Pakistan |
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| Abbreviation | PM |
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| Reports to | |
| Residence | Prime Minister House |
| Seat | Prime Minister's Office, Islamabad Capital Territory-44010 |
| Nominator | National Assembly of Pakistan |
| Appointer | President of Pakistan |
| Term length | At the pleasure of the President subject to Article 91(7) of the Constitution. |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Pakistan |
| Inaugural holder | Liaquat Ali Khan (1947–1951) |
| Formation | 14 August 1947 |
| Deputy | Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan |
| Salary | ₨24.12 lakh (US$15,000) , annual |
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Contents
History of the Prime Minister's Office
The job of Prime Minister started right after Pakistan became independent in 1947. At first, the Prime Minister worked alongside a "Governor-General," who represented the British King or Queen. Liaquat Ali Khan was the first Prime Minister and held a lot of power until he was sadly killed in 1951.
Over time, the Governor-General started to get more power, which reduced the Prime Minister's authority. In 1956, Pakistan got its first Constitution, which made the country an "Islamic Republic" and changed the Governor-General into the President. Even with this new Constitution, several Prime Ministers were dismissed by the President between 1951 and 1957.
In 1958, President Iskandar Mirza dismissed the Prime Minister and declared martial law, meaning the military took control. Soon after, the army chief, General Ayub Khan, removed President Mirza. For a short time, Ayub Khan even held the Prime Minister's job himself.
In 1962, a new Constitution completely removed the Prime Minister's office, giving all power to the President. But people started to criticize this system, especially after the 1965 presidential election.
After the 1970 elections, the Prime Minister's office was brought back, with Nurul Amin becoming Prime Minister. However, political disagreements led to a war in 1971, which resulted in East Pakistan becoming Bangladesh. This event caused the presidential system to collapse.
When a new, detailed Constitution was put in place in 1973, the Prime Minister's job was fully restored with even more power. This Constitution created a parliamentary system, where the President's role became more ceremonial. But in 1977, military intervention again suspended the Prime Minister's office.
The general elections in 1985 brought the Prime Minister's job back, with Muhammad Khan Junejo becoming Prime Minister. Later that year, a change to the Constitution (the Eighth Amendment) gave the President the power to dismiss the Prime Minister and the National Assembly without asking first.
In 1988, Benazir Bhutto became the first woman Prime Minister in a Muslim country. From 1988 to 1993, there was a power struggle between the Prime Minister and the President, with the President dismissing the National Assembly three times.
In 1997, Nawaz Sharif's party won a large majority in Parliament. They changed the Constitution (the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments) to remove the President's power to dismiss the Prime Minister. This gave Nawaz Sharif more power. However, in 1999, General Pervez Musharraf took over the government in a military coup.
After elections in 2002, a group of parties formed a government, and Zafarullah Khan Jamali became Prime Minister. A new amendment (the Seventeenth Amendment) partly restored the President's power to dissolve the National Assembly, but it needed approval from the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
In 2004, Prime Minister Jamali resigned, and Shaukat Aziz took over. The Seventeenth Amendment created a system where the President still had some influence over the government and courts.
In 2008, a new election brought the Pakistan Peoples Party to power. They supported a movement to remove Pervez Musharraf. After Musharraf left, Asif Ali Zardari became President. In 2010, a major change (the Eighteenth Amendment) was made to the Constitution. This change removed all the President's powers to dissolve Parliament on their own, making Pakistan a full parliamentary republic again.
In 2012, the Supreme Court removed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani from office. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf then became Prime Minister until 2013.
The 2013 elections saw Nawaz Sharif elected as Prime Minister for the third time, after being out of office for fourteen years. This was a peaceful transfer of power. In July 2017, Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court because he had not declared income from a company owned by his son in his election papers.
On August 18, 2018, Imran Khan became Pakistan's 22nd Prime Minister. On April 10, 2022, he was removed from office after losing a vote of no confidence in Parliament. This made him the first Prime Minister in Pakistan to be removed this way.
The next day, on April 11, 2022, Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the 23rd Prime Minister. He won with 174 votes in the National Assembly. Shehbaz Sharif was re-elected for a second time on March 3, 2024, becoming the 24th Prime Minister.
What the Prime Minister Does
The Constitution of Pakistan explains how the government works. The President is the "head of state" and represents the country's unity. But the Prime Minister is the "chief executive" who runs the government.
The Constitution says:
The government of Pakistan is run in the name of the President by the Federal Government. This government includes the Prime Minister and other ministers. The Prime Minister is the chief executive of the country.
—Article 90(1) in Chapter 3: The Federal Government of Part III: The Federation of Pakistan in the Constitution of Pakistan, source
The Prime Minister is also the head of the Council of Common Interests, which helps manage shared matters between the federal government and the provinces.
In most countries with a parliamentary system, the head of state (like the President) has mostly ceremonial duties. The Prime Minister of Pakistan is the head of government and has the real power to make decisions. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the party that has the most members in the National Assembly, which is the lower house of Pakistan's Parliament. To be Prime Minister, a person must also be a member of the National Assembly.
Role and Powers of the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister's main workplace is the Prime Minister's Office in Islamabad. Their official home, called Prime Minister Enclave, is also nearby. The Prime Minister is the chief executive who leads and uses the power of the Government of Pakistan.
After winning a vote of confidence from Parliament, the President officially asks the Prime Minister to take an oath and form the government. The Prime Minister chooses the members of the Cabinet, who are in charge of different government departments and ministries. The Prime Minister tells the President about all the Cabinet's decisions and plans for new laws.
The Prime Minister, with the Cabinet, plans and attends Parliament meetings. They must answer questions from members of Parliament.
The Prime Minister makes many important appointments, including:
- Leaders of government ministries.
- Chief secretaries for the provinces.
- Key military and administrative staff in the Pakistan Armed Forces.
- Leaders of large public organizations like the NHA and PIA.
- Leaders and members of federal commissions and public institutions.
- Ambassadors and High Commissioners to other countries.
Some specific government departments are usually led by the Prime Minister directly:
- Planning Commission
- National Command Authority (which controls Pakistan's nuclear weapons)
- National Security Council
- Economic Coordination Committee
- Cabinet Committee on National Security
The Prime Minister has control over Pakistan's nuclear weapons and represents the country in international meetings and organizations. They also speak to the nation about important issues.
Who Can Be Prime Minister?
The Constitution of Pakistan says that the Prime Minister must be a member of the National Assembly. Also, they must:
- Be a citizen of Pakistan.
- Be a Muslim.
- Be at least 25 years old.
- Have good character and follow Islamic teachings.
- Have enough knowledge of Islam and practice its duties, avoiding major sins.
- Not have worked against Pakistan's unity or its founding ideas since the country was created.
How a Prime Minister is Chosen and Removed
People vote directly in elections to choose members of the National Assembly. The candidates for Prime Minister are usually leaders of political parties. The leader of the party with the most members in Parliament usually becomes the Prime Minister. They form the government, either with their own party or by joining with other parties. Before becoming Prime Minister, the candidate must win a "vote of confidence" from the members of Parliament. Then, the President invites them to form the government.
A Prime Minister can be removed from office before their term ends through a "vote of no confidence" in Parliament. If the National Assembly votes by a simple majority to remove the Prime Minister, they lose their job. In the past, Presidents could dismiss Prime Ministers using the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. But this power was removed by the Eighteenth Amendment in 2010.
The Prime Minister has special protection from criminal and civil lawsuits while they are in office. No legal action can be started or continued against them during their term.
In 2012, the Supreme Court of Pakistan removed a Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, from office because of "contempt of court." This meant he was permanently disqualified from being a member of Parliament.
On July 28, 2017, the Supreme Court also disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office. This happened because he did not meet the eligibility rules in the Constitution, specifically for not declaring certain income. This also meant he could no longer be a member of Parliament.
The National Assembly elects the Prime Minister. This election happens on the 21st day after a general election (which takes place at least every five years), unless the President calls for a vote of no confidence sooner. The chosen member of the National Assembly serves as Prime Minister until the next election or until they no longer have the support of the National Assembly.
91. The Cabinet:
(1) There will be a group of Ministers, led by the Prime Minister, to help and advise the President in their duties.
(2) The National Assembly will meet on the twenty-first day after a general election, unless the President calls for it to meet sooner.
(3) After choosing the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the National Assembly will then choose one of its Muslim members to be the Prime Minister, without any debate.
(4) The Prime Minister must be elected by a majority of all the members of the National Assembly:
If no one gets a majority in the first vote, a second vote will be held between the two members who got the most votes. The person who gets a majority of the votes from those present and voting will be declared Prime Minister:
If two or more members get the same highest number of votes, more votes will be held between them until one person gets a majority of the votes from those present and voting.
(5) The President will ask the elected member to become Prime Minister. Before starting the job, they must take an oath in front of the President, as described in the Third Schedule:
There is no limit to how many terms a person can serve as Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister's Oath
Before starting their job, the Prime Minister must take an oath or make a promise in front of the President. In this oath, they promise to protect and defend the Constitution.
I, ____________, do solemnly swear that I am a Muslim and believe in the Oneness of Almighty Allah, the Books of Allah (with the Holy Qura'an being the last), the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the last Prophet (with no Prophet after him), the Day of Judgment, and all the requirements and teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah:
That I will be truly loyal to Pakistan:
That, as Prime Minister of Pakistan, I will do my duties and perform my functions honestly, to the best of my ability, and faithfully according to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the law. I will always act in the best interest of Pakistan's independence, unity, strength, well-being, and success:
That I will work to keep the Islamic Ideology alive, which is why Pakistan was created:
That I will not let my personal interests affect how I act or make decisions in my official role:
That I will protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:
That, in all situations, I will treat all people fairly, according to the law, without fear or favor, liking or disliking:
And that I will not directly or indirectly tell anyone about any matter that comes to my attention or that I learn as Prime Minister, unless it is necessary for me to do my duties as Prime Minister.
May Allah Almighty help and guide me (A'meen).
See also
In Spanish: Primer ministro de Pakistán para niños
- Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan
- Air transports of heads of state and government
- Federal Secretary
- Grade 22
- Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan
- List of prime ministers of Pakistan
- Prime Minister House, Pakistan
