Azad Kashmir government
124-420: Azad Kashmir government Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Local government Constitution of Pakistan Territorial election commission Elections Provincial elections Territorial elections Political parties Provinces Autonomous region Customs Regional topics The Politics of Pakistan ( سیاسیاتِ پاکستان ; ISO : Siyāsiyāt-e-Pākistāna ) takes place within
248-477: A Chief Minister , who then selects the ministers of his or her cabinet. Note: Azad Kashmir is federally administered and is a "Local authority". Pakistan's provinces are divided into districts called zillas in local languages (counterpart to a county in US or UK terminology). A zilla is further subdivided into tehsils (roughly equivalent to a borough in an integrated multi-tier (federated) systemic context, such as
372-489: A constitution , while other uses of "democracy" may encompass direct democracy , in which citizens vote on issues directly. According to the United Nations , democracy "provides an environment that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in which the freely expressed will of people is exercised." One theory holds that democracy requires three fundamental principles: upward control (sovereignty residing at
496-865: A lawspeaker . These deliberative bodies were responsible for settling political questions, and variants included the Althing in Iceland and the Løgting in the Faeroe Islands . The veche , found in Eastern Europe , was a similar body to the Scandinavian thing. In the Roman Catholic Church , the pope has been elected by a papal conclave composed of cardinals since 1059. The first documented parliamentary body in Europe
620-428: A parliamentary or presidential democracy . Most democracies apply in most cases majority rule , but in some cases plurality rule , supermajority rule or consensus rule are applied. They serve the crucial purpose of inclusiveness and broader legitimacy on sensitive issues—counterbalancing majoritarianism —and therefore mostly take precedence on a constitutional level. In the common variant of liberal democracy ,
744-431: A representative democracy , the people choose governing officials through elections to do so. Who is considered part of "the people" and how authority is shared among or delegated by the people has changed over time and at different rates in different countries. Features of democracy oftentimes include freedom of assembly , association , personal property , freedom of religion and speech , citizenship , consent of
868-645: A republic , although it didn't have much of a democracy. The Roman model of governance inspired many political thinkers over the centuries. Vaishali , capital city of the Vajjika League (Vrijji mahajanapada ) of India , is considered one of the first examples of a republic around the 6th century BC. Other cultures, such as the Iroquois in the Americas also developed a form of democratic society between 1450 and 1660 (and possibly in 1142 ), well before contact with
992-580: A Judicial Commission of Pakistan, hereinafter in this Article referred to as the commission, for appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court, High Courts and the Federal Shariat Court, as hereinafter provided. (2) For appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court, the Commission shall consist of--- (i) Chief Justice of Pakistan; Chairman (ii) [four] most senior Judges of the Supreme Court;Member (iii)
1116-473: A constitution modelled on Pennsylvania's citizenship and democratic suffrage for males with or without property. The United States Constitution of 1787 is the oldest surviving, still active, governmental codified constitution . The Constitution provided for an elected government and protected civil rights and liberties, but did not end slavery nor extend voting rights in the United States , instead leaving
1240-675: A foreign government, being bankrupt, employed as a servant, or having "notoriety for ill deeds". Full universal suffrage was achieved in 1934. In 1893, the self-governing colony New Zealand became the first country in the world (except for the short-lived 18th-century Corsican Republic) to establish active universal suffrage by recognizing women as having the right to vote. 20th-century transitions to liberal democracy have come in successive " waves of democracy ", variously resulting from wars, revolutions, decolonisation , and religious and economic circumstances. Global waves of "democratic regression" reversing democratization, have also occurred in
1364-469: A form of political collectivism because it is defined as a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in lawmaking . Republics , though often popularly associated with democracy because of the shared principle of rule by consent of the governed , are not necessarily democracies, as republicanism does not specify how the people are to rule. Classically the term " republic " encompassed both democracies and aristocracies . In
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#17328476824521488-609: A former Chief Justice or a former Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to be nominated by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, in consultation with the [four] member Judges, for a term of two years; Member (iv) Federal Minister for Law and Justice;Member (v) Attorney-General for Pakistan; and Member (vi) a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan nominated by the Pakistan Bar Council for a term of two years. (3) Now withstanding anything contained in clause (1) or clause (2),
1612-712: A majority of Pakistan's Heads of State and Heads of Government have been elected civilian leaders. General elections were held in October 2002. After monitoring the elections, the Commonwealth Observer Group stated in conclusion: On 22 May 2004, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group re-admitted Pakistan into the Commonwealth , formally acknowledging its progress in returning to democracy. Kashmir ( Azad Kashmir ) has its own constitution,
1736-575: A minority of Romans were citizens with votes in elections for representatives. The votes of the powerful were given more weight through a system of weighted voting , so most high officials, including members of the Senate , came from a few wealthy and noble families. In addition, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom was the first case in the Western world of a polity being formed with the explicit purpose of being
1860-535: A modern sense the republican form of government is a form of government without a monarch . Because of this, democracies can be republics or constitutional monarchies , such as the United Kingdom. Democratic assemblies are as old as the human species and are found throughout human history, but up until the nineteenth century, major political figures have largely opposed democracy. Republican theorists linked democracy to small size: as political units grew in size,
1984-509: A public servant as well as matters relating to foreign affairs, national defence, and the armed services. This institution is designed to bridge the gap between administrator and citizen, to improve administrative processes and procedures, and to help curb misuse of discretionary powers. Pakistan has been ruled by both democratic and military governments. The first decade was marred with political unrest and instability, with frequent collapses of civilian democratic governments that eventually led to
2108-495: A state for the purposes of defending their rights. Particularly important for Locke were property rights, whose protection Locke deemed to be a government's primary purpose. Furthermore, Locke asserted that governments were legitimate only if they held the consent of the governed . For Locke, citizens had the right to revolt against a government that acted against their interest or became tyrannical. Although they were not widely read during his lifetime, Locke's works are considered
2232-492: A strong, authoritarian power. In other words, Hobbes advocated for an absolute monarchy which, in his opinion, was the best form of government. Later, philosopher and physician John Locke would posit a different interpretation of social contract theory. Writing in his Two Treatises of Government (1689), Locke posited that all individuals possessed the inalienable rights to life, liberty and estate (property). According to Locke, individuals would voluntarily come together to form
2356-504: A time of debates over constitutional issues in Athens. Aeschylus also strongly alludes to the word in his play The Suppliants , staged in c.463 BC, where he mentions "the demos's ruling hand" [ demou kratousa cheir ]. Before that time, the word used to define the new political system of Cleisthenes was probably isonomia , meaning political equality. Athenian democracy took the form of direct democracy, and it had two distinguishing features:
2480-464: Is a system of government in which state power is vested in the people or the general population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitive elections while more expansive definitions link democracy to guarantees of civil liberties and human rights in addition to competitive elections. In a direct democracy , the people have the direct authority to deliberate and decide legislation. In
2604-515: Is alleged, that this court does not fully meet the criterion prescribed for the independence of the judiciary. That is to say, it is not immune to pressures and influences from the Executive. In the past, this court was used as a refuge for the recalcitrant judges. And whereas some of its judgments, particularly the ones which rely on the Islamic concept of equity, justice and fair play, expanded and enlarged
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#17328476824522728-600: Is elected by the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly and is supported by a council of ministers. (S&GA). Ministry of Home Affairs The Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly, also known as the AJK Legislative Assembly, is a unicameral legislature of elected representatives. The assembly consists of 41 elected members and eight co-opted members of whom five are women, one is from the Ulama community, one
2852-582: Is from Jammu and Kashmir technocrats and other professionals, and one is from Jammu and Kashmir nationals residing abroad. The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is the highest court of appeals in Azad Kashmir. It consists of a chief justice and two other judges. The number of judges in the supreme Court has been fixed at three by the Azad Kashmir Interim Constitution Act of 1974. The high court of Azad Kashmir , which serves as
2976-454: Is generally held as the first example of a type of democracy in 508–507 BC was established in Athens. Cleisthenes is referred to as "the father of Athenian democracy ". The first attested use of the word democracy is found in prose works of the 430s BC, such as Herodotus ' Histories , but its usage was older by several decades, as two Athenians born in the 470s were named Democrates, a new political name—likely in support of democracy—given at
3100-485: Is the dominant form. Without compensation, like legal protections of individual or group rights, political minorities can be oppressed by the " tyranny of the majority ". Majority rule involves a competitive approach, opposed to consensus democracy , creating the need that elections , and generally deliberation , be substantively and procedurally "fair" ," i.e. just and equitable . In some countries, freedom of political expression , freedom of speech , and freedom of
3224-420: Is the state government which administers one of the territories of Pakistani-administered Kashmir territories of Azad Kashmir . The Azad Kashmir government consists of a president as head of state and a prime minister as chief executive, with the support of a council of ministers. The state assembly is the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly . The chief executive of the government is the prime minister, who
3348-517: Is then decided on how loudly the crowd shouts). Aristotle called this "childish", as compared with the stone voting ballots used by the Athenian citizenry. Sparta adopted it because of its simplicity, and to prevent any biased voting, buying, or cheating that was predominant in the early democratic elections. Even though the Roman Republic contributed significantly to many aspects of democracy, only
3472-431: Is to institutionalise a system for enforcing administrative accountability, through investigating and rectifying any injustice done to a person through maladministration by a federal agency or a federal government official. The Mohtasib is empowered to award compensation to those who have suffered loss or damage as a result of maladministration. Excluded from jurisdiction, however, are personal grievances or service matters of
3596-705: Is to interpret the Constitution and federal laws and regulations. Pakistan is a multiparty democracy where several political parties compete for seats in the National and Provincial assemblies. However, as an aftermath of the Fall of Dhaka in 1971, a two-party system was developed between the People's Party and Muslim League . There has also been a sharp rise in the popularity of centrist parties such as PML-Q and PTI . The Armed Forces has historically played an influential role in
3720-620: The Baltics , the Balkans , Brazil , Cuba , China , and Japan , among others. World War II brought a definitive reversal of this trend in Western Europe. The democratisation of the American, British, and French sectors of occupied Germany (disputed ), Austria, Italy, and the occupied Japan served as a model for the later theory of government change . However, most of Eastern Europe , including
3844-878: The Eighth Amendment in 1985 (under the Zia dictatorship) and by the Seventeenth Amendment in 2003 (under the military rule of General Pervez Musharraf ) —and has twice been revoked— by the Thirteenth Amendment in 1997 (by the Pakistan Muslim League (N) ) and under the Eighteenth Amendment in 2010 (by the Pakistan Peoples Party ). Despite this most recent power-stripping, the President remains
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3968-660: The European Union or candidate states . In 1986, after the toppling of the most prominent Asian dictatorship, the only democratic state of its kind at the time emerged in the Philippines with the rise of Corazon Aquino , who would later be known as the mother of Asian democracy . The liberal trend spread to some states in Africa in the 1990s, most prominently in South Africa. Some recent examples of attempts of liberalisation include
4092-1173: The Indonesian Revolution of 1998 , the Bulldozer Revolution in Yugoslavia , the Rose Revolution in Georgia , the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon, the Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan , and the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia . According to Freedom House , in 2007 there were 123 electoral democracies (up from 40 in 1972). According to World Forum on Democracy , electoral democracies now represent 120 of
4216-596: The Karachi Agreement of 28 April 1949, matters related to defence, foreign affairs, negotiations with the UNCIP and coordination of all affairs relating to Gilgit and Baltistan (strategically important territories that now constitute Pakistan's "Northern Areas"). Pakistan is subdivided into four provinces, one territory, and one capital territory. Each province has a Provincial Assembly, a directly elected legislature. Members are elected for five-year terms. Each Assembly elects
4340-764: The Kingdom of Scotland under the Acts of Union . Two key documents of the UK's uncodified constitution , the English Declaration of Right, 1689 (restated in the Bill of Rights 1689 ) and the Scottish Claim of Right 1689 , had both cemented Parliament's position as the supreme law-making body and said that the "election of members of Parliament ought to be free". However, Parliament was only elected by male property owners, which amounted to 3% of
4464-567: The Law and Justice Party ) to the Philippines (under Rodrigo Duterte ). In a Freedom House report released in 2018, Democracy Scores for most countries declined for the 12th consecutive year. The Christian Science Monitor reported that nationalist and populist political ideologies were gaining ground, at the expense of rule of law , in countries like Poland, Turkey and Hungary. For example, in Poland,
4588-615: The Republic of Florence , established in 1115, was led by the Signoria whose members were chosen by sortition . In the 10th–15th century Frisia , a distinctly non-feudal society, the right to vote on local matters and on county officials was based on land size. The Kouroukan Fouga divided the Mali Empire into ruling clans (lineages) that were represented at a great assembly called the Gbara . However,
4712-568: The Soviet sector of Germany fell into the non-democratic Soviet-dominated bloc . The war was followed by decolonisation , and again most of the new independent states had nominally democratic constitutions. India emerged as the world's largest democracy and continues to be so. Countries that were once part of the British Empire often adopted the British Westminster system . In 1948,
4836-674: The United Kingdom (which originated the Westminster system ), the dominant principle is that of parliamentary sovereignty , while maintaining judicial independence . In India , parliamentary sovereignty is subject to the Constitution of India which includes judicial review . Though the term "democracy" is typically used in the context of a political state , the principles also are potentially applicable to private organisations, such as clubs, societies and firms . Democracies may use many different decision-making methods, but majority rule
4960-481: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights mandated democracy: 3. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. By 1960, the vast majority of country-states were nominally democracies, although most of
5084-462: The V-Dem Democracy indices and The Economist Democracy Index , less than half the world's population lives in a democracy as of 2022 . Although democracy is generally understood to be defined by voting, no consensus exists on a precise definition of democracy. Karl Popper says that the "classical" view of democracy is, "in brief, the theory that democracy is the rule of the people and that
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5208-1393: The ex officio chair of the National Security Council , as per the National Security Act 2004. The prime minister is appointed by the members of the National Assembly through a vote. The prime minister is assisted by the Federal Cabinet, a council of ministers whose members are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister. The Federal Cabinet consists of ministers, ministers of state, and advisers. As of early 1994, there were thirty-three ministerial portfolios: commerce; communications; culture; defence; defence production; education; environment; finance and economic affairs; food and agriculture; foreign affairs; health; housing; information and broadcasting; interior; Kashmiri affairs and Northern Areas; law and justice; local government; minority affairs; narcotics control; parliamentary affairs; petroleum and natural resources production; planning and development; railways; religious affairs; science and technology; social welfare; special education; sports; state and frontier regions; tourism; water and power; women's development; and youth affairs. The bicameral federal legislature consists of
5332-509: The random selection of ordinary citizens to fill the few existing government administrative and judicial offices, and a legislative assembly consisting of all Athenian citizens. All eligible citizens were allowed to speak and vote in the assembly, which set the laws of the city-state. However, Athenian citizenship excluded women, slaves, foreigners (μέτοικοι / métoikoi ), and youths below the age of military service. Effectively, only 1 in 4 residents in Athens qualified as citizens. Owning land
5456-502: The 192 existing countries and constitute 58.2 per cent of the world's population. At the same time liberal democracies i.e. countries Freedom House regards as free and respectful of basic human rights and the rule of law are 85 in number and represent 38 per cent of the global population. Also in 2007 the United Nations declared 15 September the International Day of Democracy . Many countries reduced their voting age to 18 years;
5580-785: The 1920s and 30s, in the 1960s and 1970s, and in the 2010s. World War I and the dissolution of the autocratic Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires resulted in the creation of new nation-states in Europe, most of them at least nominally democratic. In the 1920s democratic movements flourished and women's suffrage advanced, but the Great Depression brought disenchantment and most of the countries of Europe, Latin America, and Asia turned to strong-man rule or dictatorships. Fascism and dictatorships flourished in Nazi Germany , Italy , Spain and Portugal , as well as non-democratic governments in
5704-578: The 1958 military coup. From 1947 until now, Pakistan has been governed by various of both right-wing conservative governments and left-wing socialistic oriented governments, while neither far-right and far-left had failed to achieve enough majority to claim the exclusive mandate. From 1947 to 1958 as many as seven Prime Ministers of Pakistan either resigned or were ousted. On 7 October 1958 Pakistan's civilian and first President Iskander Mirza in collaboration with General Mohammad Ayub Khan abrogated Pakistan's constitution and declared Martial Law. General Ayub Khan
5828-497: The 1970s and 1980s. This was followed by countries in East and South Asia by the mid-to-late 1980s. Economic malaise in the 1980s, along with resentment of Soviet oppression, contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union , the associated end of the Cold War , and the democratisation and liberalisation of the former Eastern bloc countries. The most successful of the new democracies were those geographically and culturally closest to western Europe, and they are now either part of
5952-423: The 20th century). In the 1860 United States census , the slave population had grown to four million, and in Reconstruction after the Civil War, three constitutional amendments were passed: the 13th Amendment (1865) that ended slavery; the 14th Amendment (1869) that gave black people citizenship, and the 15th Amendment (1870) that gave black males a nominal right to vote. Full enfranchisement of citizens
6076-479: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution Act of 1974, and a locally chosen parliamentary form of government, as described above. The constitution allows for many of the structures that compose a self-governing state, including a legislative assembly elected through periodic elections, a prime minister who commands the majority in the assembly, an indirectly elected president, an independent judiciary, and local government institutions. However, an override exists in
6200-431: The Azad Kashmir Council in Islamabad. The latter body, presided over by the Prime Minister of Pakistan , exercises paramount authority over the AJK Legislative Assembly , which cannot challenge decisions of the council. The council is under the numerical control of the federal government in Islamabad, as in addition to the Pakistani prime minister it comprises six other federal ministers, the minister of Kashmir affairs as
6324-399: The Cabinet and is led by the Prime Minister. It is totally independent of the legislative branch that consists of a bicameral parliament . The Upper House is the Senate whilst the National Assembly is the lower house. The Judicial branch forms with the composition of the Supreme Court as an apex court , alongside the high courts and other inferior courts . The judiciary's function
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#17328476824526448-424: The Europeans. This democracy continues to the present day and is the world's oldest standing representative democracy. While most regions in Europe during the Middle Ages were ruled by clergy or feudal lords , there existed various systems involving elections or assemblies, although often only involving a small part of the population. In Scandinavia , bodies known as things consisted of freemen presided by
6572-412: The President of Pakistan after consulting the Chief Justice of this Court, from amongst the serving or retired judges of the Supreme Court or a High Court or from amongst persons possessing the qualifications of judges of a High Court. Of the eight judges, three are required to be Ulema who are well versed in Islamic law. The judges hold office for a period of three years, which may eventually be extended by
6696-473: The President shall appoint the most senior Judge of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The chief justice and judges of the Supreme Court may remain in office until age sixty-five: now 68 years and this is also another clause of seventeenth amendment. The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) of Pakistan is a court which has the power to examine and determine whether the laws of the country comply with Shari'a law. It consists of 8 Muslim judges appointed by
6820-402: The President. Appeal against its decisions lie to the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of three Muslim judges of the Supreme Court and two Ulema, appointed by the President. If any part of the law is declared to be against Islamic law, the government is required to take the necessary steps to amend such law appropriately. The court also exercises revisional jurisdiction over
6944-445: The Prime Minister and dissolve the National Assembly was removed by the Thirteenth Amendment and partially restored by the Seventeenth Amendment . The Senate is a permanent legislative body with equal representation from each of the four provinces, elected by the members of their respective provincial assemblies. There are representatives from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and from Islamabad Capital Territory. The chairman of
7068-429: The Roman Empire collapsed: Roman territory was conquered by small fragmented groups of Germanic tribes, thus leading to the creation of small political units where rulers were relatively weak and needed the consent of the governed to ward off foreign threats. In Poland , noble democracy was characterized by an increase in the activity of the middle nobility , which wanted to increase their share in exercising power at
7192-442: The Senate (upper house) and National Assembly (lower house). According to Article 50 of the Constitution, the National Assembly, the Senate and the President together make up a body known as the Majlis-e-Shoora (Council of Advisers). Pakistan's democracy has no recall method. However, past governments have been dismissed for corruption by the President's invocation of Article 58 of the Constitution. The President's power to dismiss
7316-419: The Senate, under the constitution, is next in line to act as president should the office become vacant and until such time as a new president can be formally elected. Both the Senate and the National Assembly can initiate and pass legislation except for finance bills. Only the National Assembly can approve the federal budget and all finance bills. In the case of other bills, the president may prevent passage unless
7440-426: The World, report by Freedom House , Pakistan is categorised as a "partly free" country and it is categorised as "not free" in terms of internet freedom. The current and former Presidents of Pakistan, in keeping with the constitutional provision that the state religion is Islam, must be Muslim. Elected for a five-year term by an Electoral College consisting of members of the Senate and National Assembly and members of
7564-421: The approval of 18th Constitutional Amendment in April 2010, a new High court is established at Federal Capital Islamabad with the name of Islamabad High Court . In 18th Amendment, judges appointments are proposed by a Parliamentary Commission. Judges of the provincial high courts were, previously appointed (The seventeenth amendment give these powers to the president, previously Prime minister exercised them) by
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#17328476824527688-451: The backing of the military, but was subsequently removed from power in 2022 after losing that support. However, he won re-election in 2024. No Prime Minister of Pakistan has ever completed their full length tenure. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Pakistan an " authoritarian regime " in 2023. According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Pakistan was 2023 the 20th most electoral democratic country in Asia . In 2023, according to Freedom in
7812-627: The basis of separate electorates at the same time as the polls for Muslim seats during the general elections. The judiciary includes the Supreme Court , provincial high courts, District & sessions Courts, Civil and Magistrate courts exercising civil and criminal jurisdiction. Some federal and provincial courts and tribunals such as Services court, Income tax & excise court, Banking court and Boards of Revenue's Tribunals are as well established in all provinces. In reference of ARTICLE 175 (A) APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES The Supreme Court has original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction. (1) There shall be
7936-424: The charter made Mali more similar to a constitutional monarchy than a democratic republic . The Parliament of England had its roots in the restrictions on the power of kings written into Magna Carta (1215), which explicitly protected certain rights of the King's subjects and implicitly supported what became the English writ of habeas corpus , safeguarding individual freedom against unlawful imprisonment with
8060-428: The constitution provide a delicate check and balance of sharing powers between executive , legislative , and judicial branches of the government . The head of state is the president who is elected by the electoral college for a five-year term. Asif Ali Zardari is currently the president of Pakistan (since 2024). The president was a significant authority until the 18th amendment , passed in 2010, stripped
8184-410: The controversial 8th Amendment, its opponents question the very rationale and utility of this institution. It is stated that this court merely duplicates the functions of the existing superior courts and also operates as a check on the sovereignty of Parliament. The composition of the court, particularly the mode of appointment of its judges and the insecurity of their tenure, is taken exception to, and it
8308-401: The convention that forbade detention lacking sufficient cause or evidence. After the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Bill of Rights was enacted in 1689 which codified certain rights and liberties and is still in effect. The Bill set out the requirement for regular elections, rules for freedom of speech in Parliament and limited the power of the monarch, ensuring that, unlike much of Europe at
8432-433: The country's politics, although it has declined in recent years. From 1950s to 2000s, several coups were staged that overthrew democratic regimes. After the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf in 2008, a sharp line has been drawn between the " military establishment " and politics and Pakistan is moving closer to becoming a democracy after general elections in 2013 . Imran Khan ascended to leadership in 2018 with
8556-519: The court of appeals, has three circuit benches based in Kotli , Mirpur and Rawalakot . Chief Election Commissioner for conducting general elections in AJK; Service Tribunal for adjudicating service issues of civil servants; Zakat Council for collecting, distributing the zakat system in AJK; Supreme Judicial Council of AJK; Democracy List of forms of government Democracy (from Ancient Greek : δημοκρατία , romanized : dēmokratía , dēmos 'people' and kratos 'rule')
8680-431: The courts for the first 130 years after ratification. In 1789, Revolutionary France adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen and, although short-lived, the National Convention was elected by all men in 1792. The Polish-Lithuanian Constitution of 3 May 1791 sought to implement a more effective constitutional monarchy , introduced political equality between townspeople and nobility, and placed
8804-436: The criminal courts, deciding Hudood cases. The decisions of the court are binding on the High Courts as well as subordinate judiciary. The court appoints its own staff and frames its own rules of procedure. Ever since its establishment in 1980, the Federal Shariat Court of Pakistan has been the subject of criticism and controversy in society. Created as an Islamisation measure by the military regime and subsequently protected under
8928-674: The elected members of the Provincial Administrative Councils would elect members to the first Parliament . Later that year, a new constitution was promulgated, which provided for a bicameral Parliament with a Senate appointed by the Sultan and a popularly elected Chamber of Deputies . Only men above the age of 30 who were competent in Turkish and had full civil rights were allowed to stand for election. Reasons for disqualification included holding dual citizenship, being employed by
9052-751: The ex-officio member, the prime minister of Azad Kashmir, and six Azad Kashmir members elected by the Legislative Assembly.38 The interim constitution act lists fifty-two subjects—virtually everything of any importance—that are under the jurisdiction of the Azad Kashmir Council, which has been described as the "supra power" by the Azad Kashmir High Court. Its decisions are final and not subject to judicial review. Thus, Azad Kashmir remains for all intents and purposes under Pakistan's strict control, exercising no real sovereignty of its own. From
9176-456: The expense of the magnates. Magnates dominated the most important offices in the state (secular and ecclesiastical) and sat on the royal council, later the senate. The growing importance of the middle nobility had an impact on the establishment of the institution of the land sejmik (local assembly), which subsequently obtained more rights. During the fifteenth and first half of the sixteenth century, sejmiks received more and more power and became
9300-879: The form of Section 56 of the Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution Act (which was drafted by the Federal Ministries of Law and Kashmir Affairs in Islamabad), the Pakistani government can dismiss any elected government in Azad Kashmir irrespective of the support it may enjoy in the AJK Legislative Assembly . The Interim Constitution Act provides for two executive forums—the Azad Kashmir Government in Muzaffarabad and
9424-637: The founding documents of liberal thought and profoundly influenced the leaders of the American Revolution and later the French Revolution . His liberal democratic framework of governance remains the preeminent form of democracy in the world. In the Cossack republics of Ukraine in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cossack Hetmanate and Zaporizhian Sich , the holder of the highest post of Hetman
9548-553: The four provinces, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Islamabad Capital Territory on the basis of population. National Assembly members serve for the parliamentary term, which is five years, unless they die or resign sooner, or unless the National Assembly is dissolved. Although the vast majority of the members are Muslim, about 5 percent of the seats are reserved for minorities, including Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs. Elections for minority seats are held on
9672-412: The framework established by the constitution . The country is a federal parliamentary republic in which provincial governments enjoy a high degree of autonomy and residuary powers. Executive power is vested with the national cabinet which is headed by Prime Minister of Pakistan ( Shehbaz Sharif since 3 March 2024), who works with the bicameral parliament and the judiciary . Stipulations set by
9796-481: The governed , voting rights , freedom from unwarranted governmental deprivation of the right to life and liberty , and minority rights . The notion of democracy has evolved considerably over time. Throughout history, one can find evidence of direct democracy, in which communities make decisions through popular assembly . Today, the dominant form of democracy is representative democracy, where citizens elect government officials to govern on their behalf such as in
9920-495: The government but by living in a city that was not subject to another power and by not being subjects themselves to the rule of another person. Range voting appeared in Sparta as early as 700 BC. The Spartan ecclesia was an assembly of the people, held once a month, in which every male citizen of at least 20 years of age could participate. In the assembly, Spartans elected leaders and cast votes by range voting and shouting (the vote
10044-594: The growth of political philosophy on the British Isles. Thomas Hobbes was the first philosopher to articulate a detailed social contract theory . Writing in the Leviathan (1651), Hobbes theorized that individuals living in the state of nature led lives that were "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short" and constantly waged a war of all against all . In order to prevent the occurrence of an anarchic state of nature, Hobbes reasoned that individuals ceded their rights to
10168-440: The issue of suffrage to the individual states. Generally, states limited suffrage to white male property owners and taxpayers. At the time of the first Presidential election in 1789 , about 6% of the population was eligible to vote. The Naturalization Act of 1790 limited U.S. citizenship to whites only. The Bill of Rights in 1791 set limits on government power to protect personal freedoms but had little impact on judgements by
10292-463: The legislature in joint sitting overrules the president by a majority of members of both houses present and voting. Unlike the National Assembly, the Senate cannot be dissolved by the President. Members of the National Assembly are elected by universal adult suffrage (formerly twenty-one years of age and older but the seventeenth amendment changed it to eighteen years of age.). Seats are allocated to each of
10416-449: The likelihood increased that the government would turn despotic. At the same time, small political units were vulnerable to conquest. Montesquieu wrote, "If a republic be small, it is destroyed by a foreign force; if it is large, it is ruined by an internal imperfection." According to Johns Hopkins University political scientist Daniel Deudney , the creation of the United States, with its large size and its system of checks and balances,
10540-413: The lowest levels of authority), political equality , and social norms by which individuals and institutions only consider acceptable acts that reflect the first two principles of upward control and political equality. Legal equality , political freedom and rule of law are often identified by commentators as foundational characteristics for a well-functioning democracy. In some countries, notably in
10664-401: The major democracies began to do so in the 1970s starting in Western Europe and North America. Most electoral democracies continue to exclude those younger than 18 from voting. The voting age has been lowered to 16 for national elections in a number of countries, including Brazil, Austria, Cuba, and Nicaragua. In California, a 2004 proposal to permit a quarter vote at 14 and a half vote at 16
10788-401: The medieval period to urban agglomeration and the creation of new classes, such as artisans, as well as the presence of nobility and religious elites. Scholars have also linked the emergence of representative government to Europe's relative political fragmentation. Political scientist David Stasavage links the fragmentation of Europe, and its subsequent democratization, to the manner in which
10912-641: The most important institutions of local power. In 1454, Casimir IV Jagiellon granted the sejmiks the right to decide on taxes and to convene a mass mobilization in the Nieszawa Statutes . He also pledged not to create new laws without their consent. In 17th century England, there was renewed interest in Magna Carta . The Parliament of England passed the Petition of Right in 1628 which established certain liberties for subjects. The English Civil War (1642–1651)
11036-574: The one to be found in Montreal (Canada, 2002) and Birmingham (UK, 2001 announcement) or known as arrondissements in French context. Tehsils may contain town or municipalities. Pakistan's system is the one that applies an integrated federated systemic framework most comprehensively, so far. This methodology is not new to the region, as it is similar to what is referred to as the old Panchayat Raj system in India that
11160-606: The outset, the institutional set up in the territory was designed to ensure Pakistan's control of the area's affairs. According to the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) 39 resolutions, Azad Kashmir is neither a sovereign state nor a province of Pakistan, but rather a "local authority" with responsibility over the area assigned to it under the current 2003 ceasefire line agreement. 40 The "local authority" or Provisional government of Azad Kashmir as established in October 1947 handed over to Pakistan under
11284-572: The past one of these powers —a legacy of military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq — has included the president's discretionary ability to dissolve the National Assembly when "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." This power has twice been granted —by
11408-460: The peasants under the protection of the government, mitigating the worst abuses of serfdom . In force for less than 19 months, it was declared null and void by the Grodno Sejm that met in 1793. Nonetheless, the 1791 Constitution helped keep alive Polish aspirations for the eventual restoration of the country's sovereignty over a century later. In the United States, the 1828 presidential election
11532-522: The people have a right to rule". One study identified 2,234 adjectives used to describe democracy in the English language. Democratic principles are reflected in all eligible citizens being equal before the law and having equal access to legislative processes. For example, in a representative democracy , every vote has (in theory) equal weight, and the freedom of eligible citizens is secured by legitimised rights and liberties which are typically enshrined in
11656-546: The people", in contrast to aristocracy ( ἀριστοκρατία , aristokratía ), meaning "rule of an elite". Western democracy , as distinct from that which existed in antiquity, is generally considered to have originated in city-states such as those in Classical Athens and the Roman Republic , where various degrees of enfranchisement of the free male population were observed. In virtually all democratic governments throughout ancient and modern history, democratic citizenship
11780-416: The period before 1776 the abundance and availability of land meant that large numbers of colonists met such requirements with at least 60 per cent of adult white males able to vote. The great majority of white men were farmers who met the property ownership or taxpaying requirements. With few exceptions, no blacks or women could vote. Vermont , which, on declaring independence of Great Britain in 1777, adopted
11904-534: The population in 1780. The first known British person of African heritage to vote in a general election, Ignatius Sancho , voted in 1774 and 1780. During the Age of Liberty in Sweden (1718–1772), civil rights were expanded and power shifted from the monarch to parliament. The taxed peasantry was represented in parliament, although with little influence, but commoners without taxed property had no suffrage. The creation of
12028-466: The powers of the majority are exercised within the framework of a representative democracy, but a constitution and supreme court limit the majority and protect the minority—usually through securing the enjoyment by all of certain individual rights, such as freedom of speech or freedom of association. The term appeared in the 5th century BC in Greek city-states , notably Classical Athens , to mean "rule of
12152-417: The presidency of most of its powers. Since then, Pakistan has shifted from a Semi-presidential system to a purely parliamentary government . Since the amendment, the president's powers include the right to pardon and the ability to suspend or moderate any sentence passed by any court or authority. The government consists of three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The Executive branch consists of
12276-705: The president after consultation with the chief justice of the Supreme Court, as well as the governor of the province and the chief justice of the high court to which the appointment is being made. High courts have original and appellate jurisdiction. In addition, there are special courts and tribunals to deal with specific kinds of cases, such as drug courts, commercial courts, labour courts, traffic courts, an insurance appellate tribunal, an income tax appellate tribunal, and special courts for bank offences. There are also special courts to try terrorists. Appeals from special courts go to high courts except for labour and traffic courts, which have their own forums for appeal. Appeals from
12400-436: The press are considered important to ensure that voters are well informed, enabling them to vote according to their own interests and beliefs. It has also been suggested that a basic feature of democracy is the capacity of all voters to participate freely and fully in the life of their society. With its emphasis on notions of social contract and the collective will of all the voters, democracy can also be characterised as
12524-416: The provincial assemblies, the president is eligible for re-election. But no individual may hold the office for more than two consecutive terms. The president may resign or be impeached and may be removed from office due to incapacity or gross misconduct by a two-thirds vote of the members of the parliament. The president generally acts on the advice of the prime minister but has important residual powers . In
12648-492: The right to appeal. The first representative national assembly in England was Simon de Montfort's Parliament in 1265. The emergence of petitioning is some of the earliest evidence of parliament being used as a forum to address the general grievances of ordinary people. However, the power to call parliament remained at the pleasure of the monarch. Studies have linked the emergence of parliamentary institutions in Europe during
12772-420: The scope and contents of individual's rights were commended, others that tend to restrict the rights of women, are severely criticised and deplored. In every province, there is one High Court. Currently all four provinces Punjab , Sindh , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have High courts, respectively called Lahore High Court , Sindh High Court , Peshawar High Court , and Balochistan High Court . After
12896-432: The sense that the people through the assembly, boule and courts of law controlled the entire political process and a large proportion of citizens were involved constantly in the public business. Even though the rights of the individual were not secured by the Athenian constitution in the modern sense (the ancient Greeks had no word for "rights" ), those who were citizens of Athens enjoyed their liberties not in opposition to
13020-419: The short-lived Corsican Republic in 1755 was an early attempt to adopt a democratic constitution (all men and women above age of 25 could vote). This Corsican Constitution was the first based on Enlightenment principles and included female suffrage , something that was not included in most other democracies until the 20th century. Colonial America had similar property qualifications as Britain, and in
13144-532: The time, royal absolutism would not prevail. Economic historians Douglass North and Barry Weingast have characterized the institutions implemented in the Glorious Revolution as a resounding success in terms of restraining the government and ensuring protection for property rights. Renewed interest in the Magna Carta, the English Civil War, and the Glorious Revolution in the 17th century prompted
13268-462: The tribunals go to the Supreme Court. A further feature of the judicial system is the office of Mohtasib (Ombudsman), which is provided for in the constitution. The office of Mohtasib was established in many early Muslim states to ensure that no wrongs were done to citizens. Appointed by the president, the Mohtasib holds office for four years; the term cannot be extended or renewed. The Mohtasib's purpose
13392-516: The ultimate authority was held by the Crown and the English Parliament. The Puritans ( Pilgrim Fathers ), Baptists , and Quakers who founded these colonies applied the democratic organisation of their congregations also to the administration of their communities in worldly matters. The first Parliament of Great Britain was established in 1707, after the merger of the Kingdom of England and
13516-532: The very successful West Bengal revival in the 1970s, which eventually inspired the 1990s Constitutional Amendment making it national policy. Government of Azad Kashmir Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Local government Constitution of Pakistan Territorial election commission Elections Provincial elections Territorial elections Political parties Provinces Autonomous region Customs Regional topics The Government of Azad Kashmir ( Urdu : حکومتِ آزاد کشمیر )
13640-486: The world's populations lived in nominal democracies that experienced sham elections, and other forms of subterfuge (particularly in "Communist" states and the former colonies). A subsequent wave of democratisation brought substantial gains toward true liberal democracy for many states, dubbed "third wave of democracy". Portugal, Spain, and several of the military dictatorships in South America returned to civilian rule in
13764-409: Was a solution to the dual problems of size. Forms of democracy occurred organically in societies around the world that had no contact with each other. The term democracy first appeared in ancient Greek political and philosophical thought in the city-state of Athens during classical antiquity . The word comes from dêmos '(common) people' and krátos 'force/might'. Under Cleisthenes , what
13888-542: Was elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. She was the youngest woman ever to be elected the Head of Government and the first woman to be elected as the Head of Government of a Muslim country. Her government was followed by that of Nawaz Sharif, and the two leaders alternated until the military coup by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999. From the resignation of President Rafiq Tarar in 2001, to his own resignation in 2008, Musharraf
14012-654: Was elected by the representatives from the country's districts. In North America, representative government began in Jamestown, Virginia , with the election of the House of Burgesses (forerunner of the Virginia General Assembly ) in 1619. English Puritans who migrated from 1620 established colonies in New England whose local governance was democratic; although these local assemblies had some small amounts of devolved power,
14136-652: Was established in France in March 1848 in the wake of the French Revolution of 1848 . During that year, several revolutions broke out in Europe as rulers were confronted with popular demands for liberal constitutions and more democratic government. In 1876, the Ottoman Empire transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one, and held two elections the next year to elect members to her newly formed parliament. Provisional Electoral Regulations were issued, stating that
14260-685: Was fought between the King and an oligarchic but elected Parliament, during which the idea of a political party took form with groups debating rights to political representation during the Putney Debates of 1647. Subsequently, the Protectorate (1653–59) and the English Restoration (1660) restored more autocratic rule, although Parliament passed the Habeas Corpus Act in 1679 which strengthened
14384-433: Was initially restricted to an elite class, which was later extended to all adult citizens. In most modern democracies, this was achieved through the suffrage movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Democracy contrasts with forms of government where power is not vested in the general population of a state, such as authoritarian systems. World public opinion strongly favors democratic systems of government. According to
14508-433: Was introduced by Britain during the colonial era. In the 1890s Britain had become the first nation to adapt the two-tier administrative framework of revolutionary Paris (1790) onto pre-existing parish councils in the urban context (London) and into three tiers in the rural context (county, district, parish councils). In India it was implemented in some regions and not others; and then allowed to lie fallow. It got new life after
14632-408: Was not a requirement for citizenship. The exclusion of large parts of the population from the citizen body is closely related to the ancient understanding of citizenship. In most of antiquity the benefit of citizenship was tied to the obligation to fight war campaigns. Athenian democracy was not only direct in the sense that decisions were made by the assembled people, but also the most direct in
14756-760: Was not secured until after the civil rights movement gained passage by the US Congress of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 . The voting franchise in the United Kingdom was expanded and made more uniform in a series of reforms that began with the Reform Act 1832 and continued into the 20th century, notably with the Representation of the People Act 1918 and the Equal Franchise Act 1928 . Universal male suffrage
14880-547: Was the Cortes of León . Established by Alfonso IX in 1188, the Cortes had authority over setting taxation, foreign affairs and legislating, though the exact nature of its role remains disputed. The Republic of Ragusa , established in 1358 and centered around the city of Dubrovnik , provided representation and voting rights to its male aristocracy only. Various Italian city-states and polities had republic forms of government. For instance,
15004-409: Was the President of Pakistan. In 2008, Asif Ali Zardari was elected president. Officially a federal Islamic republic , Pakistan has had a long history of alternating periods of electoral democracy and authoritarian military government. Military presidents include General Ayub Khan in the 1960s, General Yahya Khan, General Zia ul Haq in the 1980s, and General Pervez Musharraf from 1999. However,
15128-471: Was the first in which non-property-holding white males could vote in the vast majority of states. Voter turnout soared during the 1830s, reaching about 80% of the adult white male population in the 1840 presidential election . North Carolina was the last state to abolish property qualification in 1856 resulting in a close approximation to universal white male suffrage (however tax-paying requirements remained in five states in 1860 and survived in two states until
15252-413: Was the president from 1958 to 1969, and General Yahya Khan from 1969 to 1971, Chief Justice Habib Khan Marvath elected first Chairman Senate of Pakistan. Civilian, yet socialist-oriented autocratic, rule continued from 1972 to 1977 under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto , but he was deposed by General Zia-Ul-Haq. General Zia was killed in a plane crash in 1988, after which Benazir Bhutto, daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,
15376-544: Was ultimately defeated. In 2008, the German parliament proposed but shelved a bill that would grant the vote to each citizen at birth, to be used by a parent until the child claims it for themselves. According to Freedom House, starting in 2005, there have been 17 consecutive years in which declines in political rights and civil liberties throughout the world have outnumbered improvements, as populist and nationalist political forces have gained ground everywhere from Poland (under
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