Session 10:  18^th amendment: An act to restrict the presidential power

1973’s constitution divided the power between the parliament, judiciary and president in order to stabilize the state functions and declared Pakistan as a parliamentary state. The main purpose of this article was to restrict the authorities of each bodies and power equality. Whereas, another article 58 of the constitution imbalance this power system by empowering the president to dissolve assemblies under certain circumstances. This article was wrongly interpreted and manipulated by many presidents in past in order to protect their self-interests, rule and to legitimize their authority. This also allows the president to interfere in governing bodies and policies rather than to be a figurative head which is opposite to parliamentary system of government. As a consequence of this empowerment many assemblies were dissolved before time like President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed the Benzair government in 1990 and in 1996 by President Laghari.

In order to eliminate this unbalance, 8^th amendment was passed in 2010. Through this amendment the authority of president is restricted as it removes the power of dissolution of parliament and declared president as a ceremonial figure.  Moreover, this also transforms the semi-presidential government to parliamentary form of government.  

This attempt was greatly appreciated by public and political bodies and a result of this amendment the assemblies were able to complete their tenure of 5 years for the first time in history of Pakistan.