A year of record legislation in National Assembly, but at what cost?

Pakistan’s current National Assembly is set to complete its first parliamentary year on February 28. Although a few weeks remain, it has already passed 41 bills—about six times the average number passed in the first year by the previous four assemblies.

At least 14 of these bills have far-reaching consequences. Assemblies are usually less active in their first year, but this one has been an exception.

The 26th Constitutional Amendment has significantly altered the balance of power between the executive and the judiciary, giving the executive an edge.

The amendment abolished the automatic appointment of the Supreme Court’s senior-most judge as Chief Justice. Instead, a parliamentary committee now selects the Chief Justice from among the three senior-most judges. It also introduced an annual performance evaluation for High Court judges, reconstituted the Judicial Commission, and discontinued the parliamentary committee for judicial appointments. A Constitutional Bench was created in the Supreme Court, with similar benches planned for High Courts.

The amendment’s initial draft contained more controversial provisions, and the government seemed determined to push it through. However, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) opposed certain clauses, leading to the removal of some contentious provisions and the inclusion of Islamic elements. The amendment was rushed through both houses without debate, and many lawmakers were unaware of its full text before voting.

In November, the National Assembly passed laws increasing the Supreme Court’s strength from 17 to 34 judges and the Islamabad High Court’s strength from 10 to 13. The opposition viewed this as an attempt to stack the judiciary with government loyalists.

The Assembly also amended laws governing the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force, extending service chiefs’ terms from three to five years, with the possibility of another five-year extension. The retirement age was also removed for service chiefs.

The Elections Act, 2017, was amended three times in just three months. The Elections Amendment Act, 2024, passed in July, allowed retired High Court judges to serve as election tribunal members—a move rejected by the opposition, which saw it as a way to influence judgments.

The Elections (Second Amendment) Act, 2024, passed in August, effectively overturned the Supreme Court’s ruling on reserved seats, which had favored PTI. This was an unprecedented move and sparked significant controversy.

Other key legislation

• PECA (Amendment) Act, 2025 – Seen as restricting press freedom.
• Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024 – Allowed Madressahs to register as societies, pushed by JUI-F.
• Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) (Amendment) Act, 2024 – Changed the composition of the bench formation committee.
• Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024 – Introduced 3–10 year jail terms for violating protest restrictions in Islamabad.
• Islamabad Local Government (Amendment) Act, 2024 – Changed Union Council wards, delaying local elections further.
• Toshakhana (Management and Regulation) Act, 2024 – Formalized Toshakhana rules into law.

In January, the Finance Committee, chaired by the Speaker, approved a 176% salary increase for MNAs—from PKR 188,000 to 519,000 per month. The move was widely criticized but came after nine years, with two provincial assemblies already granting similar raises.

Despite its record legislative output, the Assembly saw a 25% drop in working hours compared to previous years. Many laws were rushed through without proper debate in standing committees or plenary sessions. The opposition spent much of the year protesting, further weakening parliamentary discourse.

An attempt at dialogue between the ruling coalition and PTI-led opposition, moderated by the Speaker, was a welcome step. However, talks collapsed after PTI demanded the acceptance of at least one condition before proceeding further.

Despite an unprecedented legislative pace, the first year of this National Assembly was marked by one-sided legislation, opposition protests, and a weakened democratic process.

One positive sign is that PTI remains in Parliament—unlike in the previous assembly, where it resigned in protest—though most of its efforts have been focused on agitation.

While the numbers reflect a highly active Assembly, its legislative process raises serious questions about democratic governance.

*The writer is the president of Pakistan-based think tank, PILDAT; Tweets at @ABMPildat;YouTube: @abmpildat