Law of Pakistan

Module 2

The Constitution and the institutions of the state: a federal parliamentary republic, the President, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, the National Assembly and the Senate, how a law is made and amended, and elections

The Constitution of 1973 makes Pakistan a federal parliamentary republic. The real executive power belongs to the Federal Government, headed by the Prime Minister and responsible to the National Assembly; the President is the head of state, a symbol of the unity of the Republic who acts, with a few exceptions, on the advice of the Prime Minister. Parliament, the Majlis-e-Shoora, has two Houses: the National Assembly, which represents the people by population, and the Senate, which represents the provinces equally. The Constitution is a long, detailed document that has been amended many times, and several of the amendments changed who holds power (Module 1 mentioned the amendments of 1985 and 2010). A student who wants to understand any Pakistani institution should ask three questions: which Article gives it power, to whom is it accountable and who can remove it.

General education on the law of Pakistan, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts, the authority and the province concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult a Pakistani advocate for any real matter.

This course was written on 6 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Pakistan as it stood on that date. Laws change, and we may have missed or misunderstood something. If you notice a change, or have other information, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will review it and update the course. We do not claim to be the final source of the law.