| Country | Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Previous election | 1977 Pakistani general election |
| Previous year | 1977 |
| Next election | 1988 Pakistani general election |
| Next year | 1988 |
| Election date | 25 February 1985 |
| Seats for election | 217 of the 237 seats in the National Assembly |
| Majority seats | 109 |
| Turnout | 53.70% (0.98pp) |
| Registered | 32,528,996 |
| Party 1 | Independents |
| Seats 1 | 217 |
| Percentage 1 | 100% |
| Leader 1 | Muhammad Khan Junejo |
| Before election | None[a] |
| After election | Muhammad Khan Junejo |
| After party | Independent politician |
General elections were held in Pakistan on 25 February 1985 to elect members of the National Assembly.[1] The elections were held under the military government of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq after the restoration of the 1973 constitution.
Around 1,300 candidates contested the elections, which were held on a nonpartisan basis.[2] Each candidate was required to have their nomination paper signed by 50 registered voters from the constituency they wished to stand in.[3] In an attempt to disqualify a large number of opposition candidates and secure a conservative leadership, Zia-ul-Haq introduced amendments to the Political Parties Act of 1962. As a result, the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD), which was calling for an end to the military regime, boycotted the elections.[4]
Voter turnout was 54%. Most of the elected MNAs were supporters of the Zia regime. A new government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Khan Junejo, a lesser known figure in national politics. Prime Minister Junejo and his followers subsequently established the pro-Zia conservative Pakistan Muslim League.
Aftermath
Following the elections, Muhammad Khan Junejo was appointed prime minister and later formed a new party, the Pakistan Muslim League. The election boycott was viewed to have been a misstep for the MRD, which had assumed the public would support its stance.[4]
References
- ^ Pakistan Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p678 ISBN 0-19-924958-X
- ^ Report on the General Elections, 1985, Election Commission of Pakistan, 1986, p300
- ^ General Elections, February 1985 Story of Pakistan
Notes
- ^ Vacant since 1977 due to martial law