In Pakistan, the 15th National Assembly commenced on August 13, 2018, and is set to be dissolved following the general elections held on July 25, 2018. This assembly witnessed significant political developments, including the removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan through a successful no-confidence motion.
During its tenure, the 15th National Assembly saw the election of a President, two Prime Ministers, two Speakers, and two Deputy Speakers. Notably, the Assembly’s proceedings were marked by strained relations between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, with no signs of cooperation evident, even avoiding a handshake in the Assembly Hall.
In March 2022, a faction of 20 members defected from the ruling party, Tehreek-e-Insaaf, forming a separate forward bloc. Subsequently, on April 9, 2022, a successful no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan led to the election of Shehbaz Sharif as the new Prime Minister on April 11.
Amidst the political turmoil, Asad Qaiser resigned as Speaker of the National Assembly on April 9, followed by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was elected as the new Speaker on April 15, and Zahid Durrani became the Deputy Speaker on April 20.
Furthermore, in response to Tehreek-e-Insaaf’s mass resignation from the National Assembly on April 11, 2022, the twenty-member forward block of PTI decided to sit in opposition and elected Raja Riaz as their leader.
Throughout its existence, the 15th National Assembly faced challenges in passing significant legislation due to strained relations between the government and the opposition. However, during the tenure of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, some legislative records were established.
Notably, the only major legislation passed during this period was the amendment of the Army Chief’s tenure law, which received support from the major opposition parties, PPP and Muslim League-N, despite their generally contentious relationship with the Imran Khan government.
