INTRODUCTION TO

POLITICAL PARTIES

Comparative Political Systems

Lahore School of Economics
 ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

What do you consider

do be the basic role(s)
of parties in a
democracy?
 ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES
• Competing in elections to gain
influence

• Aggregating and representing

social interests

• Providing a structure for

political participation

• Providing policy alternatives

• Training political leaders

 NEED FOR PARTIES

1. Political parties may be imperfect

but…
2. Scattering of individuals wouldn’t
function
3. Groups would take on party
characteristics
4. No other institution represents
citizens’ interests as well
 PARTIES AND ELECTIONS
• Communicate competing
policies

• Provide candidates

• Engage in debate

• Foster citizen
participation by getting
out the vote

• Promote electoral
integrity

• Abide by results
 PARTIES IN PARLIAMENT AND
LOCAL BODIES
• Address
constituent
concerns

• Maintain
Party
discipline
• Committee
work
• Coalitions
 PARTIES IN GOVERNMENT
• Run affairs of
country
• Develop and
implement policy
• Oversee
government
agencies
• Account for funds
• Deliver on
campaign promises
 PARTIES IN OPPOSITION
• Contribute to
accountability

• Monitor
government
actions

• Propose
policy
alternatives

• Seek
compromise
and solutions
 DIVERSITY AMONG PARTIES
• Size
• Funding
• Penetration within the country
• Ethnic makeup
• Ideology
• Governing vs. opposition
 PARTY ELEMENTS AND
FUNCTIONS
• Constitution
• Internal structure and
communications
– Branches
– Subgroups
• Leadership selection
• Policy development
• Membership
• Funding
PARTY SUBGROUPS
Think
tanks

Policy-
Women’s
oriented
groups
factions
Party

Profession
Youth
-based groups
groups
 LEADERSHIP SELECTION
• Indirect or direct elections
• Party conventions
• Term limits
• Representation of women, youth, etc.
 MEMBERSHIP
Member rights
• Elect the party leadership
• Participate in candidate selection
• Access party-only forums
• Receive special information
 MEMBERSHIP
Member responsibilities
• Contribute to and know policies and
platform
• Understand constitution and
organization
• Ensure party reflects their interests
• Hold leaders accountable
 PARTY FUNDING
• Private
– Membership fees
– Donations from members,
organizations and businesses
– Revenue generating projects/events
• Public
– Direct
– Indirect
 WHY WOMEN?
• Concerns of
marginalized voters
represented
• Collaborative leadership
styles
• Work across party lines
• Better decisions
 WOMEN’S WINGS
• Build awareness of gender frameworks
• Draft gender equality policies and lobby
for and monitor their implementation
• Network with women from other parties
• Identify and engage male allies
• Train women
• Encourage and fund women candidates
• Lobby leaders on women’s issues
 Political Parties in Pakistan
• Pakistan is a multi-party democracy that
at times has been subject to military
government.
• The country has many political parties
and it is common for the country to be
ruled by a coalition government.
• The Parliament of Pakistan is bicameral,
consisting of the National Assembly of
Pakistan and the Senate.
 Major Political Parties in
Pakistan
• Pakistan Muslim League
• Pakistan People's Party
• Pakistan People's Party (Shaheed Bhutto)
• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
• Awami National Party
• Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan
• Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (F)
• Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)
• Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)
 Name of
Current
Sr# Political Abbreviation Symbol Established
Leader
Party

Pakistan
Bilawal Ali
1 Peoples PPP Arrow 1967
Zardari
Party

Pakistan
2 Muslim PML-N Tiger 1985 Nawaz Sharif
League (N)

Pakistan
3 Tehreek-e- PTI Bat 1996 Imran Khan
Insaf

Muttahida
Dr.Farooq
4 Qaumi MQM Kite 1984
Sattar
Movement

Jamiaat-e- Maulana
5 Islami JUI-F Book 1988 Fazl-ur-
Ulema- Fazl Rehman
 Minor/Regional Parties
• Pakistan Socialist Party
• Balawaristan National Front (Gilgit–
Baltistan)
• Communist Party of Pakistan
• Baloch Republican Party
• Hazara Democratic Party
• Balochistan National Movement
• Balochistan National Party
• Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party
• Jeay Sindh Liberal Front
• Jamote Qaumi Movement
• Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz
• Jeay Sindh Quomi Mahaz
• Justice and Development Party Pakistan
• Mazdoor Kisan Party (MKP)
• Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam
• Mustaqbil Pakistan
• National Party
• National People's Party (NPP)
• Pakistan Liberal Party (PLP)
• Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Party (PMKP)
• Pakistan Social Democratic Movement
(PSDM)
• Pakistan Women Muslim League (first
women's political party in Pakistan)
• People's Union Pakistan (PUP)
• Panjistani Popular Front (PPF)
• Panjistani Democratic Party (PDP)
• Sindh Democratic Alliance
• Sindh National Front
• Pak Sarzameen Party
• Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party
• Sindh United Party
• Saraikistan Qaumi Movement (SQM)
• Pakistan Conservative Party (PCP)
• Balochistan National Party Awami
• Pakistan Freedom Movement (PFM -
Chairman Haroon Khawaja)