Pakistan’s Federal Government Explained

A plain-English map of the presidency, prime minister, cabinet, Parliament and courts.

The constitutional framework

Pakistan is a federal parliamentary republic. The Constitution defines the institutions of the federation and distributes powers between the federal and provincial levels. The text and later amendments matter, so constitutional questions should be checked against the current official version.

Executive leadership

The president is the head of state, while the prime minister leads the federal government and cabinet. Federal ministries administer national policy within their legal responsibilities. Parliament scrutinizes the executive through legislation, budgets, questions and committees.

Two houses of Parliament

The Majlis-e-Shoora, or Parliament, includes the National Assembly and Senate along with the president as described by the Constitution. The National Assembly reflects population-based representation, while the Senate gives the federating units a different form of representation.

Courts and accountability

Courts interpret and apply the law, with the Supreme Court at the apex of the judicial structure. Other constitutional and statutory bodies perform election, audit and accountability functions. Their powers come from specific constitutional or legal provisions, not from political custom alone.

Last updated September 17, 2026. This original explainer is for general information and is not legal, financial or travel advice.