1985 Pakistani general election
General elections were held in Pakistan on 28 February 1985 to elect members of the National Assembly.[1] The elections were held under the military government of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq after the restoration of the 1973 constitution.
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All 237 seats in National Assembly 119 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 52.93% (![]() | ||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Winning party by constituency | |||||||||||||||||||
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Pakistan |
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Around 1,300 candidates contested the elections, which were held on a nonpartisan basis.[2] Each candidate was required to have their nomination paper signed by 50 registered voters from the constituency they wished to stand in.[3] In an attempt to disqualify a large number of opposition candidates and secure a conservative leadership, Zia-ul-Haq introduced amendments to the Political Parties Act of 1962. As a result, the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD), which was calling for an end to the military regime, boycotted the elections.[4]
Voter turnout was 52.93%, considerably lower than the previous two elections.[1] Most of the elected MNAs were supporters of the Zia regime. A new government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Khan Junejo, a lesser known figure in national politics. Prime Minister Junejo and his followers subsequently established the pro-Zia conservative Pakistan Muslim League.
Results
Party | Votes | % | Seats |
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Independents | 100 | 207 | |
Seats reserved for women | – | – | 21 |
Seats reserved for non-Muslim minorities | – | – | 9 |
Invalid/blank votes | – | – | |
Total | 17,250,482 | 100 | 237 |
Registered voters/turnout | 32,589,996 | 52.93 | – |
Source: IPU |
Aftermath
Following the elections, Muhammad Khan Junejo was appointed Prime Minister and later formed a new party, the Pakistan Muslim League. The election boycott was viewed to have been a misstep for the MRD, which had assumed the public would support its stance.[4]
References
- Pakistan Inter-Parliamentary Union
- Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p678 ISBN 0-19-924958-X
- Report on the General Elections, 1985, Election Commission of Pakistan, 1986, p300
- General Elections, February 1985 Story of Pakistan