The position of President in Pakistan is traditionally one of a figurehead with actual central chief executive powers lying with the Prime Minister who led the appointments of many important government offices. However, at various times in history, often related with military coups and the subsequent return of civilian governments, changes in the constitution have altered the powers and privileges associated with the office of the president. Under the XVII Amendment (Seventeenth Amendment) of the Constitution of Pakistan, the XVII gave the president reserve powers - subject to Supreme Court approval or veto - to dissolve the National Assembly, triggering new elections, and thereby to dismiss the Prime Minister. This act drafted and passed by General Pervez Musharraf and his government, politically enhanced the powers of President and put the country's system to semi-presidential system.
However, in 2010, with the successful and unanimous passing of Amendment XVIII (the Eighteenth Amendment) of the Constitution of Pakistan, the reserve powers of the President, and to dissolve the National Assembly, triggering new elections, and thereby to dismiss the Prime Minister— has been reverted by XVIII Amendment. The XVIII Amendment also paved the way for a parliamentary democratic system of government. The current constitution makes the Presidency a figurehead position with central and chief executive powers lays with the Prime minister. The President is the Chairman of the National Security Council, with Prime Minister as Vice-Chairman of the National Security Council. The President serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces, under advised and recommendation received by the Prime Minister whose confirmation is also required, appoints the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee as well as Chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Colonel-Commandant Marines. The Official residence and the Principal workplace of the President is the Presidency in Islamabad.
In 1997, Nawaz Sharif secured both electoral and landslide victory on 1997 parliamentary elections, receiving the 2/3 majority in the Parliament. Due to his majority, Parliament successfully passed the XIII Amendment (13th Amendment) to the Constitution of Pakistan and XIV Amendment (14th Amendment) to the Constitution of Pakistan, successfully putting the country road back to Parliamentary democratic system. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the office of Prime minister and Prime minister itself rose to became country's one of the powerful prime minister since its independence in 1947.
However, the 1999 coup of General Pervez Musharraf brought executive powers back to the President's office. Musharraf did not suspend the constitution, but managed to passed the PCO order, 1999 and the LFO, 2002, allowing the president to make extensive changes in the constitution. In 2002, non-party national and provincial elections were held in 2002. In December 2003, the XVII Amendment (17th Amendment) to the Constitution of Pakistan fully restored the President's powers, but made the exercise of those powers subject to approval or veto within 30 days. In January 2004, the Electoral College of Pakistan gave Musharraf a vote of confidence, as result of which he was, according to the Constitution, "deemed to be unintelligent".
In 2007, just before the expiration of his term, General Musharraf declared a state emergency and de facto martial law on 3 November 2007, and purged the judiciary of all independent-minded judges, in particular Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudry, who were against him holding the offices of President and army chief together. Earlier in a presidential election, Musharraf was able to secure 57% of votes largely due to his supporters, and massive resignations of opposition members from the assemblies, on which a decision was pending by the superior court. After the emergency the newly constituted courts under Provisional Constitutional Order issued by Musharraf as army chief, validated the presidential election and declared Musharraf the winner, who in turn took oath for another five years term as President of Pakistan.
Some constitutional experts still dispute the validity of his election according to the constitution of Pakistan. However, this became more academic when Musharraf announced them unintelligent as well and then announced his resignation (with immediate effect) in a public broadcast on 18 August 2008. In accordance with the Pakistani constitution, the Chairman of the Senate took over as Acting President, but a permanent successor would have to be elected within 30 days by the Electoral College. The Electoral College comprises the combined membership of the Senate, the National Assembly and the four Provincial Assemblies. Pakistan's Election Commission on 22 August announced that Presidential elections will be held on 6 September, and the nomination papers can be filed from 26 August.
On 6 September 2008 Asif Ali Zardari was elected Pakistan's 13th President since 1956. Chief election commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq announced that "Asif Ali Zardari secured 281 votes out of the 426 valid votes polled in the parliament". His two main opponents were Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, a former judge nominated by Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), and Mushahid Hussain Sayed, who was nominated by the Pakistan Muslim League that backed Musharraf. In Sindh, Zardari had 62 of the 65 electoral votes while his 2 main opponents got no electoral votes; in North West Frontier Province Zardari got 56 votes against 5 by Siddiqui and one by Hussain; in Baluchistan, 59 votes while Siddiqui and Hussain got 2 each. BBC reported that Zardari "won 459 votes, far more than the 352 votes that would have guaranteed him victory. The New York Times said that Zardari would be sworn in "as soon as Saturday night or as late as Monday or Tuesday, diplomats and officials said. The election was overshadowed by the death of 12 people, after a suicide car bomber blasted a security checkpoint on the outskirts of Peshawar.
On 9 September 2008, Asif Ali Zardari was sworn in as President of Pakistan. He took the oath from the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Abdul Hameed Dogar. The conservative Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the ruling party Pakistan Peoples Party's members began to call to impose the constitution of 1973 in its real picture as it was in 1973. The religious conservative MMA, the leftist socialist Awami National Party, the liberal-seculars MQM joined hands with the Pakistan Muslim League to drive the country back to parliamentary system of 1997. In 2010, the Parliament unanimously and with heavy majority, passed the XVIII Amendment (18th Amendment) to the Constitution of Pakistan, reducing and dissolving all of the presidential powers, and turning Pakistan from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic. The package countered and successfully reverted and dissolved the sweeping powers amassed by the Presidency under former Presidents General Pervez Musharraf and General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and to ease political instability in Pakistan.
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