Rich men's club. A case study of the National Assembly of Pakistan, 1970–2008.

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article is inspired by the most common debate about the character and performance of the parliamentarians who often claim an exclusive role as sole representatives of the people in Pakistan. Three different aspects of their role as representatives are examined. For the examination of political representation, two indicators; electoral transparency and legitimate space for the opposition in the House have been used. Factors such as gender, religion, and professional background facilitated the investigation of the social diversity of representation. Similarly, parliamentarians’ effort to the work of constituency development acted as a tool to measure constituency representation. This study highlights the fact that the political system of Pakistan remains dominated by two political parties, namely The Pakistan Peoples’ Party and The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz. This political division in the country has left limited choice for the voters during election. Similarly, the underrepresentation of minorities and the lower classes and the overrepresentation of landlords and businessmen in the Pakistan National Assembly was also found. Favouritism, nepotism, and control over the constituency development work enhance the chances of allegations related to the misuse of powers and financial misconduct by parliamentary representatives. The implementation of a proper code of parliamentary conduct is significantly needed to consolidate democratic norms in the country.