Provincial Assembly Ninth Synopsis (Post) Print

Provincial Assembly of the Punjab 1985
Mar 12, 1985 to May 30, 1988

During the period from 1977 to 1985, the Constitution of Pakistan was kept in abeyance and the political institutions remained inactive due to imposition of Martial Law. Two advisory councils, however, were constituted during this period as Provincial Council of the Punjab in 1980 and 1983 (for details, see Part 3 of this book).

In order to restore political process in the country, the general elections, on the basis of non-party and separate electorate, were held on February 25, 1985 for the National Assembly and on February 28, 1985 for the Provincial Assemblies. The membership of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab was 260 (240 general seats, 8 seats reserved for minorities and 12 seats reserved for women).

After having been substantially amended by the Chief Martial Law Administrator and the then President of Pakistan, the 1973 Constitution was partially reactivated through the Revival of the Constitution of 1973 Order, 1985 (P.O. 14 of 1985) w.e.f. March 10, 1985. With the lifting of Martial Law on December 30, 1985, the Constitution was wholly restored1.

This Assembly held its first sitting on March 12, 19851 which was presided over by Ch Faiz Ahmed, a member of the Assembly. Though the Assembly was elected for a term of five years, but it stayed only for 3 years 2 months and 19 days; when the Governor dissolved it on May 30, 19882 following the dissolution of National Assembly by the then President General Zia-ul-Haq on account of prevailing political disturbance in the country. Its last session was held from January 14, 1988 to February 14, 1988. It met for 160 sittings over 12 sessions and had passed 26 Acts before its dissolution. The Golden Jubilee of the Punjab Assembly, celebrated from February 1 to February 3, 1988, was a landmark in the history of the Punjab Assembly3.