ISLAMABAD:
The 16th National Assembly posted its highest legislative output in recent parliamentary history during its second year, even as political polarization, declining participation and institutional vulnerabilities continued to cloud its performance, according to PILDAT’s annual performance assessment.
The report, covering the period from 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2026, notes that the Assembly entered its second parliamentary year “amid persistent political polarization and institutional strain”, yet demonstrated “increased legislative activity alongside continued structural and procedural challenges”.
The Assembly met for 84 working days during the year, down from 93 meetings in its first year, a decrease of approx. 9.7%. However, the total working time increased to 231 hours against the previous 212 hours, which indicates a relatively longer working time.
Despite this increase, total work hours “remained significantly below the second-year historical average of 324.5 hours observed in previous assemblies,” the press release noted.
Financially, the assembly’s annual budget stood at Rs 16,290 million. The average budget per meeting rose sharply to Rs193.93 million compared to Rs136.96 million in the first year.
Legislative productivity intensified significantly. A total of 59 bills were passed during the second year, compared to 47 in the first year, an increase of 25.5%.
Compared to the second year of the 12th to 15th National Assemblies, when the average number of bills passed was 21.75, the current assembly recorded the highest legislative output among recent assemblies.
At the same time, the dependence on the executive legislation decreased. Eight ordinances were set during the year, down from 16 in the first year, a 50% reduction.
Among the most consequential developments was the passage of the 27th Amendment.
According to the report, the amendment introduced “structural changes to Pakistan’s judicial architecture, including the establishment of a federal constitutional court, changes to judicial appointment processes, restructuring of the military command framework, and expanded constitutional immunities for key officials”.
The amendment generated “intense political and legal debate”, with critics raising concerns regarding judicial independence, separation of powers and civil-military balance. Its passage marked the most significant constitutional development in the Assembly’s second year.
Another controversial measure was the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which restricted public access to parliamentarians’ asset declarations by giving the Speaker or Speaker discretionary powers to withhold disclosures for security reasons.
The bill sparked debate about transparency and accountability, particularly because of the expedited legislative process used to pass it.
Despite increased legislation, structural weaknesses persisted. During the second year, 47.59% of planned agenda items remained unfinished, only slightly better than 49.18% in the first year, meaning that almost half of the planned business was incomplete.
Attendance trends also reflected declining engagement. The average participation of MNAs fell to 58.80% compared to 66.29% in the first year. A quorum was appointed 19 times, with eight meetings adjourned for lack of a quorum.
Structural concerns regarding the attendance registration system remain unresolved.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended six out of 84 meetings, reflecting an attendance rate of approximately 7%, continuing a pattern of limited executive presence in parliamentary proceedings.
A crucial institutional challenge during the year was the prolonged absence of a formally recognized leader of the opposition.
Following the disqualification of Omar Ayub Khan on 5 August 2025, the office remained vacant until 16 January 2026, when Mahmood Khan Achakzai was formally notified. The five-month vacuum weakened coordinated opposition oversight during a period of significant constitutional and legislative change.
