Constitution

Part III · The Federation of Pakistan · The Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)

Address by President

Article 56

Amended by 8th Amendment (1985)

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English · authoritative

1[(1)

] The President may address either House or both Houses assembled together and may for that purpose require the attendance of the members.

1[(2)

The President may send messages to either House, whether with respect to a Bill then pending in the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) or otherwise, and a House to which any message is so sent shall with all convenient despatch consider any matter required by the message to be taken into consideration.

2[(3)

At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the National Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses assembled together and inform the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of the causes of its summons.]

(4)

Provision shall be made in the rules for regulating the procedure of a House and the conduct of its business for the allotment of time for discussion of the matters referred to in the address of the President.]

Urdu · official translation (2018)

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Amendment notes (2)›
  1. 1Re-numbered and added by P. O. No. 14 of 1985, Article 2 and Schedule
  2. 2Substituted by the Constitution (Eighth Amdt.) Act 1985, (18 of 1985), section 4, for ‘‘clause (3)’’.

How to cite

In a petition
Article 56 of the Constitution
With heading
Article 56 of the Constitution (Address by President)
In full
Article 56, Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973

English text as amended up to 21 November 2025 (27th Amendment), published by Ministry of Law and Justice / National Assembly of Pakistan. The English text is authoritative. Official PDF, page 52