1985 Pakistani general election

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.

1985 Pakistani general election

← 1977 25 February 1985 1988 →
217 of the 237 seats in the National Assembly 109 seats needed for a majority
Registered	32,528,996
Turnout	53.70% (0.98pp)
First party   Party Independents Seats won 217 Percentage 100%
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election None (vacant since 1977 due to martial law) Elected Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo Independent

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.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Independents	16,889,392	100.00	217
Seats reserved for women				20
Total		16,889,392	100.00	237
Valid votes		16,889,392	96.69
Invalid/blank votes		578,641	3.31
Total votes		17,468,033	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		32,528,996	53.70
Source: FAFEN

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]