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Encyclopedia > Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan

The Constitution (Eighth Amendment) Act, 1985 was an amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan passed in 1985. It changed Pakistan's government from a Parliamentary system to a Semi-presidential system by giving the President a number of additional powers. These powers included the right to dissolve the National Assembly (but not the Senate) if, in his opinion, "a situation has arisen in which the Government of the Federation cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and an appeal to the electorate is necessary." (Constitution of Pakistan, Article 58) There have been several documents known as the Constitution of Pakistan. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the legislative branch, or parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... The semi-presidential system is a system of government that features both a prime minister and a president who are active participants in the day to day functioning of government. ... A reserve power is a power that may be exercised by the head of state of a country in certain exceptional circumstances. ... The National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. ... The Senate of Pakistan is the upper House of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. ... There have been several documents known as the Constitution of Pakistan. ...


The Eighth Amendment was invoked three times in the 1990s. Its use was justified by the President as necessary, for the removal of corrupt governments that, he asserted, had lost the confidence of the people. Elections were held each time that caused the ruling party to lose its majority or plurality in the National Assembly.


In 1997, the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, stripping the President of the power to dissolve the National Assembly and call for new elections, effectively reducing the Presidency to a figurehead. The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan was passed in 1997 by the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. ... A figurehead is a person, usually in a political role, who may hold an important title or office yet executes little actual power. ...


Pakistan's democracy provides no means for the people to directly recall members of Parliament before the end of their terms. Consequently, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments had the effect of removing the institutional Checks and Balances on the Prime Minister's power, by giving him immunity from being legally dismissed. A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office. ... The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan was passed in 1997, during the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League party. ... The doctrine and practice of dispersing political power and creating mutual accountability between political entities such as the courts, the president or prime minister, the legislature, and the citizens. ... A prime minister may be either: the chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives...


The power of the President's office was partially restored by the Seventeenth Amendment. The power to dissolve the National Assembly and dismiss the Prime Minister is now subject to Supreme Court approval. The Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan was passed in December 2003, after over a year of political wrangling between supporters and opponents of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. ... Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad The Supreme Court is the apex court in Pakistans judicial hierarchy, the final arbiter of legal and constitutional disputes. ...



Constitution of Pakistan
Main body
Parts | Annex | Schedules
Amendments
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17

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