Pakistan is a multi-party democracy. The country has many political parties and many times in the past the country has been ruled by a coalition government.

The Parliament of Pakistan is bicameral, consisting of the National Assembly of Pakistan and the Senate.

Brief history and overviews

The military-dominated Establishment has directly ruled Pakistan for nearly half of its existence since its creation in 1947, while frequently exerting covert dominance over the political leadership during the remainder.[1][2] The Establishment in Pakistan includes the key decision-makers in the country's military and intelligence services, national security, as well as its foreign and domestic policies, including the state policies of aggressive Islamization during the military dictatorship of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. However, the military establishment later reversed its support of political Islam under General Pervez Musharraf, who pursued enlightened moderation in the 2000s.

Till 1990, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was the only major party of Pakistan. After Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto died, Benazir Bhutto took control and they remained a strong position throughout Pakistan. In 1990, Nawaz Sharif of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) won the elections. Two major parties were in Pakistan. After IJI dissolved and Nawaz Sharif founded Pakistan Muslim League (N), PPP and PML(N) were the major two parties of Pakistan. In 1993, Peoples Party won the election again. In 1996, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was formed. In 2013, PTI took part in the elections and won 35 seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan. After the 2018 Pakistan elections, PTI became the government and became one of the three major parties of Pakistan.

In 2020, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was formed of many parties as a movement against then prime minister Imran Khan.

Gilgit-Baltistan

Pakistan Peoples Party won the first Gilgit-Baltistan elections and was the only major party of Gilgit-Baltistan with 20 seats out of 33. However, in 2015, Pakistan Muslim League (N) won 15 seats and became the major party of Gilgit-Baltistan and PPP only received one seat in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly. However, in the 2020 elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won 16 seats and became the only major party of Gilgit-Baltistan with PPP winning 3 and PML(N) winning two seats.

Members of the Parliament

Party Flag Founded Political
position
Leader National
Assembly
Senate
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
پاکستان تحريکِ انصاف
Pakistan Movement for Justice
1996 Centre Imran Khan Assembly dissolved
26 / 100
Pakistan Muslim League (N)
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن)
Pākistān Muslam Lig (Nūn)
1993 Centre-right Shehbaz Sharif
18 / 100
Pakistan Peoples Party
پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی
Pākistān Pīplz Pārṭī
1967 Centre-left Bilawal Bhutto
21 / 100
Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan
متحدہ قومی موومنٹ پاکستان
Muttaḥidah Qọ̄mī Mūwmaṅṫ Pākistān
United National Movement-Pakistan
2016 Centre-left Khalid Maqbool
3 / 100
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – Fazl[lower-alpha 1]
جمیعت علمائے اسلام (ف)
Assembly of Islamic Clerics
1980 Right-wing Fazl-ur-Rahman
5 / 100
Jamaat-e-Islami
جماعتِ اسلامی
Islamic Congress
1947 Right-wing
to far-right
Siraj-ul-Haq
1 / 100
Pakistan Muslim League (Q)[lower-alpha 2]
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ق)
Pākistān Mislam Lig (Q)
2002 Centre-right Shujaat Hussain
1 / 100
Awami National Party
عوامي نېشنل ګوند
عوامی نيشنل پارٹی
ʿAwāmī Nīšonal Pārṭī
People's National Party
1986 Center-left
to left-wing
Asfandyar Wali
2 / 100
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
پښتونخوا ملي عوامي ګوند
پشتونخوا ملی عوامی پارٹی
1989 Left-wing Mahmood Achakzai
2 / 100
National Party
نيشنل پارٹی
Nīšonal Pārṭī
2003 Centre-left Abdul Malik Baloch
2 / 100
Balochistan National Party
بلوچستان نيشنل پارٹی
Balōčistān Nīšonal Pārṭī
1996 Left-wing Akhtar Mengal
2 / 100
Balochistan Awami Party
بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی
Balōčistān Awāmī Pārṭī
Balochistan People's Party
2018 Centre Khalid Hussain Magsi
10 / 100
Grand Democratic Alliance
گرانڈ جمہوری اتحاد
Grānd Jumhuuri Ittehaad
2018 Centre Pir of Pagaro VIII
1 / 100
Awami Muslim League
عوامی مسلم لیگ پاکستان
Awāmī Musallam League Pākistān
2008 Centre Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad
0 / 100
Jamhoori Wattan Party
جمہوری وطن پارٹی
Republican National Party
1990 Shahzain Bugti
0 / 100
Independent
آزاد اراکین
N/A
4 / 100

Unrepresented parties

This is the list of registered parties that are currently unrepresented in Parliament as of 2018.[3]

Party Flag Founded Political position Leader
Jamiat Ahle Hadith[lower-alpha 3]
جمیعت اہلِ حدیث
المركزى جمعية اهلحديث الباكستان
1986 Far-right Sajid Mir
Pasban-e-Pakistan[lower-alpha 4]
پاسبان پاکستان
Defenders of Pakistan
2015 Single-issue Altaf Shakoor
Awami Workers Party
عوامی ورکرز پارٹی
People's Workers Party
2012 Left-wing Akhtar Hussain
Barabri Party Pakistan
برابری پارٹی پاکستان
2018 Left-wing Jawad Ahmad
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S)
جمعیت علمائے اسلام (س)
1980 Far-right Hamid Ul Haq Haqqani[4]
Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Imam Noorani)
جمعیت علماء پاکستان (امام نورانی)
1948 Right-wing Shah Owais Noorani[5]
Jamote Qaumi Movement
جاموٹ قومی موومنٹ
1996 Mir Abdul Majid Abro
Pakistan Awami Tehreek
پاکستان عوامی تحريک
Pakistan People's Movement
1989 Centrism
Fiscal: Centre-left
Social: Centre-right
Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party
پاکستان جسٹس وڈیموکریٹک پارٹی
2015 Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
Pakistan Muslim League (J)
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ج)
1988 Muhammad Iqbal Dar[6]
Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto)
پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی (شہید بھٹو)
پيپلزپارٽي شهيدڀٽو
1997 Left-wing Ghinwa Bhutto
Pakistan Peoples Party Workers
پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی ورکرز
2014 Centre-left Safdar Ali Abbasi
Qaumi Watan Party
قومی وطن پارٹی
قومي وطن ګوند
2012 Centre-left Aftab Ahmad Sherpao
Mustaqbil Pakistan
مستقبل پاکستان
2010 Nadeem Mumtaz Qureshi[7]
Sindh United Party
سندھ یونائیٹڈ پارٹی
سنڌ يونائيٽڊ پارٽي
2006 Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah
Pakistan Sunni Tehreek
پاکستان سنی تحریک
1990 Far-right Sarwat Ejaz Qadri[8]
Sunni Ittehad Council
سنی اتحاد کونسل
سنی اتحاد کونسل
2009 Sahibzada Hamid Raza[6]
All Pakistan Minorities Alliance
آل پاکستان اقلیتی اتحاد
Paul Bhatti
Qaumi Awami Tahreek
قومی عوامی تحریک
1970 Left-wing to far-left Ayaz Latif Palijo[6]
Muhajir Qaumi Movement – Haqiqi[lower-alpha 5]
مہاجر قومی موومنٹ حقیقی
1992 Center-left Afaq Ahmed
Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek
الله اکبر تحریک
Aslam Rabbani[6]
Tabdeeli Pasand Party Pakistan

تبدیلی پسند پارٹی پاکستان

2012 Ali Kazi[9]
National Democratic Party

نیشنل ڈیموکریٹک پارٹی

2018
National Democratic Movement
ملي جمهوري غورځنګ
Millī Jumhūrī Ghōrźang
قومی جمہوری تحریک
2021 Centre-left Mohsin Dawar
Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Noorani)
جمعیت علماء پاکستان (نورانی)
1948 Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair[6]
Awami Tahreek
عوامی تحریک
عوامي تحريڪ
1970 Left-wing to far-left Lal Jarwar[10]
Pakistan Muslim League (Z)
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ض)
2002 Far-right Ijaz-ul-Haq
Rabita Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
رابطہ جمعیت علمائے اسلام
2020 Far-right Muhammad Khan Sherani
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party
استحکامِ پاکستان
2023 Centre to centre-right Jahangir Tareen
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians
پاکستان تحریکِ انصاف پارلیمنٹرینز
2023 Centre to centre-right Pervez Khattak
Haqooq-e-Khalq Party
حقوقِ خلق پارٹی پاکستان
2022 Left-wing Ammar Ali Jan

Dissolved parties

Party Flag Founded Dissolved Political
position
Founder/Leader(s)
Sindh Hari Committee
سنڌ هاري ڪاميٽي
1930 Left-wing G. M. Syed
Khaksar movement
تحریکِ خاکسار
1931 1970s Inayatullah Khan Mashriqi
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
جمیعت علمائے اسلام
1945 1980 Shabbir Ahmad Usmani
Muslim League
مسلم لیگ
মুসলিম লীগ
1947 1958 Big tent Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Pakistan Socialist Party

پاکستان سوشلسٹ پارٹی

1948 1958 Left-wing
Azad Pakistan Party
آزاد پاکستان پارٹی
1949 1957 Left-wing Mian Iftikharuddin
Ganatantri Dal
গণতন্ত্রী দল
1953 1957 Mahmud Ali
Haji Mohammad Danesh
Republican Party
ریپبلکن پارٹی
1955 1958 Centre-right Feroz Khan Noon
All Pakistan Awami Muslim League
آل پاکستان عوامی مسلم لیگ
নিখিল পাকিস্তান আওয়ামী মুসলিম লীগ
1950 1971 Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
National Awami Party
نیشنل عوامی پارٹی
ন্যাশনাল আওয়ামী পার্টি
National People's Party
1957 1962 Left-wing Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani
Pakistan Muslim League
پاکستان مسلم لیگ
1962[lower-alpha 6]
1969[lower-alpha 7]
1977[lower-alpha 8]
1969[lower-alpha 6]
1977[lower-alpha 7]
1985[lower-alpha 8]
Ayub Khan
Convention Muslim League
کنونشن مسلم لیگ
1962 1970s Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman[11]
Council Muslim League
کونسل مسلم لیگ
1962 1970s Khawaja Nazimuddin[11]
National Awami Party (Wali)
نیشنل عوامی پارٹی (ولي)
1967 1986 Left-wing Khan Abdul Wali Khan
Pakistan Democratic Party
پاکستان جمہوری پارٹی
1967 2012 Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan
Sindh Mohajir Punjabi Pathan Muttahida Mahaz
سندھ مہاجر پنجابی پٹھان متحدہ محاذ
Sindh Mohajir-Pashtun-Punjabi United Front
1969 Nawab Muzaffar Khan[12]
Pakistan Muslim League (Qayyum)
پاکستان مسلم ليگ (قيوم)
1970 1993 Abdul Qayyum Khan
Tehreek-e-Istiqlal
تحریک استقلال
1970 2012 Asghar Khan
Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Party
پاکستان مزدور کسان پارٹی
1974 2015 Afzal Shah Khamosh
Pukhtoonkhwa Mazdoor Kissan Party
پختونخواہ مزدور کسان پارٹی
1979 1989 Sher Ali Bacha[13]
Tehreek-e-Jafaria
تحریک جعفریہ پاکستان
Movement for Shia Law
1979 Far-right Arif Hussain Hussaini
National Peoples Party
نیشنل پیپلز پارٹی
1986 2013 Mustafa Jatoi
Labour Party Pakistan
لیبر پارٹی پاکستان
1986 2012 Left-wing
to far-left
Qaumi Inqilabi Party
قومی الانقلابی پارٹی
1987 Left-wing
Islami Jamhoori Ittehad
اسلامی جمہوری اتحاد
Islamic Democratic Alliance
1988 1990 Right-wing Nawaz Sharif
Sindh National Front

سندھ نیشنل فرنٹ

سنڌ نيشنل فرنٽ

1989 2017 Mumtaz Bhutto
Pakistan Hindu Party
پاکستان ہندو پارٹی
1990 Rana Chandra Singh
Pakistan Muslim League (Jinnah)
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (جناح)
1995 2004 Manzoor Wattoo
Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party
کمیونسٹ مزدور کسان پارٹی
Communist Workers and Peasants Party
1995 2015 Far-left
Millat Party
ملت پارٹی
1997 2004 Farooq Leghari
National Workers Party
نیشنل ورکرز پارٹی
1999 2010 Left-wing Abid Hassan Minto
Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarian (Patriots)
2002
Rao Sikander Iqbal
Faisal Saleh Hayat
Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Nazryati
جمعیت علمائے اسلام (نظریاتی)
2007 2016 Maulvi Asmatullah
Pakistan Peoples Muslim League
پاکستان پیپلز مسلم لیگ
Formerly Pakistan Muslim League (Like-Minded)
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ہم خیال)
2009 2013 Arbab Ghulam Rahim
Workers Party Pakistan
ورکرز پارٹی پاکستان
2010 2012 Far-left Abid Hassan Minto
Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Pakistan
تحریک تحفظ پاکستان
Movement for the Protection of Pakistan
2012 2013 Centre Abdul Qadeer Khan
Awami Jamhuri Ittehad Pakistan
عوامی جمهوری اتحاد
2012 2015 Liaqat Khan Tarakai
Sindh Awami Ittehad
سندھ عوامي اتحاد
سنڌ عوامي اتحاد
2012 2012 Liaquat Ali Jatoi
Pak Sarzameen Party
پاک سر زمین پارٹی
2016 2023 Centre-left Mustafa Kamal
Awami Raj Party[lower-alpha 9]
عوامی راج پارٹی
2023 Jamshed Dasti
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Gulalai)[lower-alpha 10]
پاکستان تحريکِ انصاف (گلالئی)
2018 2023 Ayesha Gulalai

Unregistered parties

Party Flag Date of foundation Political position Leader(s)
Mazdoor Kisan Party
مزدور کسان پارٹی
Workers and Peasants Party
1968 Far-left Afzal Shah Khamosh[14]
Pakistan Christian Congress
پاکستان کرسچین کانگریس
1985 Centre-right Nazir S Bhatti
Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party
سنڌ ترقي پسند پارٽي
سندھ ترقی پسند پارٹی
1991 Left-wing Qadir Magsi
Pakistan Green Party
پاکستان گرین پارٹی
2002 Green Liaquat Ali Shaikh
Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam
مجلسِ احرارِ اسلام
1929 Far-right Syed Muhammad Kafeel Bukhari[15]
Communist Party of Pakistan
کمیونسٹ پارٹی آف پاکستان
1948 Far-left Jameel Ahmad Malik[16]
Pakistan Social Democratic Party
پاکستان سوشل ڈیموکریٹک پارٹی
Mujeeb ur Rehman Kiani
Communist Party of Pakistan (Thaheem)
کمیونسٹ پارٹی آف پاکستان (تھہیم)
2002 Far-left Khadim Thaheem[17]
Shia Ulema Council
شیعہ علماء کونسل پاکستان
Centre-left Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi
All Pakistan Muslim League
آل پاکستان مسلم لیگ
2010 Centre to centre-right
Bahawalpur National Awami Party
بہاولپور نیشنل عوامی پارٹی
2010 Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi
Sunni Tehreek
سنی تحریک
1990 Far-right Ahmad Bilal Qadri[18][19]

Provincial Assembly members

This is the list of parties that are currently represented in Provincial Assemblies of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, KPK and Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly as of 2018:

Party Flag Sindh Punjab Balochistan KPK Gilgit-Baltistan
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
پاکستان تحريکِ انصاف
Assemblies dissolved
20 / 33
Pakistan Muslim League (N)
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن)
Assembly dissolved Assemblies dissolved
3 / 33
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan
تحریک لبیک پاکستان
Assembly dissolved
Pakistan Peoples Party
پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی
Assemblies dissolved Assembly dissolved
5 / 33
Jamaat-e-Islami
جماعتِ اسلامی
Assembly dissolved Assembly dissolved
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)
جمیعت علمائے اسلام (ف)}
Assemblies dissolved
1 / 33
Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ق)
Assembly dissolved Assembly dissolved
Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan
متحدہ قومی موومنٹ پاکستان
Assembly dissolved
Awami National Party
عوامی نيشنل پارٹی
Assemblies dissolved
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
پشتونخوا ملی عوامی پارٹی
Assembly dissolved
Balochistan National Party
بلوچستان نيشنل پارٹی
Balochistan Awami Party
بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی
Assembly dissolved
Grand Democratic Alliance
گرانڈ جمہوری اتحاد
Assembly dissolved
Jamhoori Wattan Party
جمہوری وطن پارٹی
Assembly dissolved
Balochistan National Party (Awami)
بلوچستان نیشنل پارٹی (عوامی)
Hazara Democratic Party
ہزارہ ڈیموکریٹک پارٹی
Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen
مجلس وحدت مسلمین
1 / 33
Balawaristan National Front[lower-alpha 11]
بلاورستان نيشنل فرنٹ
Balāwaristān Naishanal Franṭ
1 / 33
Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party
پاکستان راہِ حق پارٹی
Assembly dissolved
Islami Tehreek Pakistan
اسلامی تحریک پاکستان
1 / 33
Independent
آزاد اراکین
Assemblies dissolved
1 / 33

See also

Notes

  1. Officially registered by Election Commission of Pakistan as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan[3]
  2. Officially registered by Election Commission of Pakistan as Pakistan Muslim League[3]
  3. Officially registered by Election Commission of Pakistan as Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan[3]
  4. Officially registered by Election Commission of Pakistan as Pasban Democratic Party[3]
  5. Officially registered by Election Commission of Pakistan as Mohajir Qaumi Movement Pakistan[3]
  6. 1 2 See First phase (1962–1969)
  7. 1 2 See Second phase (1969–1977)
  8. 1 2 See Third phase (1977–1985)
  9. It was officially registered by Election Commission of Pakistan as Pakistan Awami Raj[6]
  10. It was officially registered by Election Commission of Pakistan as Jamaat-e-Suffah[6]
  11. Although, represented by BNF's Leader Nawaz Khan Naji as Independent candidate[20] but technically may be considered as BNF's representation.

References

  1. Shah, Saeed (19 August 2019). "Pakistan Extends Powerful Army Chief's Term". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  2. Jaffrelot, Christophe (2015). The Pakistan Paradox: Instability and Resilience. Oxford University Press. p. 586. ISBN 978-0-19-023518-5. The civil-military establishment ruled Supreme for 60 years - from 1947 to 2007 - by crushing or betraying social movements and preventing the development of society.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "List of Enlisted Political Parties" (PDF). www.ecp.gov.pk. Election Commission of Pakistan. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  4. "Maulana Sami's son named JUI-S acting chief". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 4 November 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  5. "PM Imran Khan will have to resign: Shah Owais Noorani". SAMAA TV. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "List of Enlisted Political Parties" (PDF). www.ecp.gov.pk. Election Commission of Pakistan. 20 December 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  7. "Mustaqbil Pakistan: New party boasts of a 'professional cadre'". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 25 May 2014.
  8. "Sunni Tehrik becomes a political party". Dawn (newspaper). 30 January 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  9. "'Tabdeeli Pasands' of Sindh to launch". The News International (newspaper). 20 January 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  10. "STP, AT express strong reservations over digital census plan". Dawn (newspaper). 1 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  11. 1 2 "From All India Muslim League to Pakistan Muslim League". Pakistan Today. 23 June 2021.
  12. "A leaf from history: Dousing the fire of hate". Dawn (newspaper). 13 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  13. "An unmatched leader". The News International (newspaper). 15 August 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  14. "Afghanistan's situation: Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga urges govt to revisit foreign policy". The News International (newspaper). 8 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  15. "سید محمد کفیل بخاری مجلس احرار اسلام کے قائم مقام مرکزی امیر منتخب" (in Urdu). Daily Jasarat (newspaper). 26 February 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  16. "Afghanistan: Pakistan rejoices at Taliban victory as West flounders". Deutsche Welle. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  17. JACOBABAD: Call to shift power from GHQ to parliament -DAWN - Local; February 25, 2008
  18. "Sunni Tehreek chief taken into custody". The Express Tribune. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  19. "Ditching the tag of mysticism, Barelvi militancy rears head in form of Sunni Tehreek". The News International. 2 April 2016.
  20. "Nawaz Khan". Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly (gba.gov.pk). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
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