Games in the Name of Democracy

As the PTI struggles to dissolve the Punjab Assembly, Bol News takes a look at the chequered history of the legislature

A recent announcement by chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Imran Khan, to dissolve the provincial assembly of Punjab, along with that of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), is widely seen as part of his strategy to force the federal government into announcing early elections.

But the game of dissloutions is an old one, especially when it comes to the country’s most populous province of Punjab, where only three assemblies have completed their five-year term since the birth of Pakistan in 1947. These included one military-era assembly of 2002-7, and two assemblies that followed during the terms 2008-13 and 2013-18.

Below is a brief history of the life tenure of successive Punjab assemblies since 1947.

First Assembly (1947-49)

All sitting members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly of 1946 were declared to have been elected to the renamed West Punjab Legislative Assembly with effect from 15 August, 1947. It was dissolved on 25 January, 1949, by the then governor, Sir Robert Francis Mudie.

As such, the total life span of Punjab’s first elected assembly was one year, five months and 11 days.

Second Assembly (1951-55)

The 1949 dissolution was followed by a period when there was no assembly on the ground, due mainly to a host of issues impeding political developments in the newly born state.

In 1950, the province was renamed as the Province of Punjab. In 1951, general elections were held and the Punjab Legislative Assembly was constituted. It ceased to exist on 14 October 1955 when the then government clubbed all the West Pakistan provinces into a One Unit to establish parity between East Pakisatan and West Pakistan.

This assembly existed for four years, five months and eight days.

Third assembly (1956)

An interim provincial assembly of West Pakistan was constituted. It included all the four provinces of then West Pakistan.

Fourth Assembly (1956-58)

Under the Establishment of West Pakistan Act, 1955, it was provided that this interim legislature, unless dissolved earlier, would stand dissolved on the expiration of eighteen months.

However, before this interim assembly could hold its first sitting, the first constitution of the country was enacted on 29 February, 1956. This constitution was abrogated and the assembly was dissolved following a military coup and the proclamation of Martial Law on 7 October 1958.

Thus, the fourth assembly had a life of two years, four months and 19 days.

Fifth Assembly (1962-65)

After the 1958 coup, General Ayub Khan introduced the concept of basic democracies through the Basic Democracy (BD) Order, 1959. Under this scheme, an Advisory Council was constituted instead of a legislature.

The Provincial Assembly of West Pakistan was indirectly elected by the BD members on behalf of their constituencies. It ceased to exist on 8 June, 1965, following the completion of its three-years term.

Sixth Assembly (1965-69)

The next provincial assembly of West Pakistan was constituted for a period of five years under the Constitution of 1962. This Assembly remained on ground for three years, nine months and 17 days. It was dissolved on 25 March, 1969 following the proclamation of another Martial Law by General Muhammad Yahya Khan, which abrogated the 1962 Constitution.

Seventh Assembly (1972-77)

Under the Legal Framework Order promulgated by the Chief Martial Law Administrator, the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab was re-constituted as a result of the elections held on 17 December, 1970.

The Martial Law was lifted on 20 April, 1972, and an Interim Constitution was adopted by the government under which the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, elected in 1970), was regularised and its term was fixed at five years.

A federal, democratic Constitution was adopted by the national parliament in 1973. Under the terms of the Constiutution, the assembly was to complete its term 14 August, 1977. However, the provincial governor dissolved it on 13 January, 1977.

This Assembly continued for four years, eight months and 12 days.

Eighth Assembly (April-July 1977)

After the dissolution of the provincial assembly in January 1977, fresh elections were held in March 1977. The newly elected assembly was dissolved on 5 July, 1977, under the proclamation of yet another Martial Law by General Muhammad Ziaul Haq.

This assembly lasted for only two months and 27 days.

Ninth Assembly (1985-88)

During the period 1977-85, the Constitution of Pakistan was kept in abeyance and the political institutions remained inactive. However, two successive advisory councils were constituted in 1980 and then in 1983 to act as the Provincial Council of the Punjab.

In order to restore political process, the military regime held general elections in February 1985 on non-party basis, with separate electorate for non-Muslims. Though the Assembly was elected for a term of five years, the governor dissolved it on 30 May, 1982, following the dissolution of the National Assembly by Gen Ziaul Haq due to political disturbances.

As such, it remained functional for three years, two months and 19 days.

Tenth Assembly (1988-90)

The assemblies were dissolved in May 1988 for holding fresh elections, but then Gen Zia died in a plane crash on 17 August, 1988. Following this, the 1973 Constitution was restored and party-based elections were held on 19 November, 1988. However, the assembly was dissolved on 6 August, 1990, when then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan used his special powers under the Constitution to dismiss the elected government and dissolve all assemblies.

This Punjab Assembly lasted for one year, eight months and seven days.

Eleventh Assembly (1990-93)

After the August 1990 dissolution, general elections were held on 27 October the same year. The newly elected assembly was dissolved by the provincial governor on 29 May, 1993. The Lahore High Court held the dissolution as illegal and restored it on 28 June, 1993. But the governor, acting on the advice of the chief minister, dissolved it again, within minutes of its restoration.

Twelfth Assembly (1993-96)

The new assembly was elected in general elections held in October 1993. It was dissolved by the governor on 17 November, 1996. As such, its life span was two years, seven months and 24 days.

Thirteenth Assembly (1997-99)

This assembly was constituted following the general elections held in February 1997. It lasted until 12 October, 1999, when another military coup by General Musharraf stopped the political process. It only remained functional for two years and eight months.

Fourteenth Assembly (2002-07)

The declaration of emergency in October 1999 kept the Constitution and the political process stalled for three years. In order to revive these institutions, General Musharraf promulgated the Legal Framework Order 2002. Subsequently, general elections were held on 10 October, 2002.

Like other parliaments, this Punjab assembly was the first to live out its entire constitutional tenure.

Fifteenth Assembly (2008-13)

This Assembly was constituted subsequent to general elections held on 18 February, 2008. It became the second Punjab assembly to complete its constitutional term, and the first to do it under an unbroken democratic dispensation. It was dissolved on 20 March, 2013, ahead of the upcoming general elections.

Sixteenth Assembly (2013-18)

This assembly was the third to complete its term, and the second to do it under a democratic dispensation.

Seventeenth Assembly (2018 till date)

After the 2018 elections, the PTI was able to form a government at the center as well as in Punjab for the first time. Four years down the line, it is under threat of being dissolved. But the federal government, which replaced the PTI in power following the no-trust move in April, is believed to be trying its best to prevent the dissolution.

Over the coming weeks and months, it will become clear how things pan out for Punjab’s 17th assembly since independence.