About Pakistan

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a federation consisting of 4 Provinces. The capital, Islamabad, is a separate Federal Capital Territory. In addition, there are Tribal Areas under Federal administration.

Each Province emphasizes a different language, although Urdu is the official language in all of them, and each Province is mindful of its separate tradition. The Punjab is the most populous and influential Province.

The distribution of powers and functions is set out in the Constitution. The Fourth Schedule contains two legislative lists, the Federal Legislative List which enumerates 59 fields in Part I in which the Republic has exclusive legislative power. Part II of the Federal Legislative List specifies another 8 subject matters which are a Central responsibility, too, but in which the Provinces also have a share. Articles 153 and 154 provide for a Council of Common Interests comprising the Chief Ministers of the 4 Provinces and 4 Ministers of the Central government. This Council which is responsible to the Federal Parliament is to formulate and regulate policies in relation to the matters of Part II of the Federal Legislative List. The Fourth Schedule also contains a Concurrent Legislative List in which 47 fields are enumerated. In the event of conflict between Federal law and Provincial law, the former will prevail.

All residual powers fall to the Provinces, although the Central Parliament has exclusive power to legislative in these matters for those areas in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which are not included in any Province. In particular, responsibility for education, labour, health, industry, social welfare, agriculture, and roads is largely entrusted to the Provinces, even if the formulation of general principles in some of these matters is expressed in the Concurrent Legislative List.

Specific provisions exist for Kashmir to which both India and Pakistan lay claim. By the cease-fire agreement of 1949 the area was divided into sectors administered by India and Pakistan separately. Pakistan administers Azad (Free) Kashmir and the Northern Areas as de facto dependencies, being responsible for foreign affairs, defence, coinage, currency and the implementation of UN resolutions concerning Kashmir.

The Provinces and Azad Kashmir have all elected unicameral Assemblies, varying from 43 to 248 members.