Historical Background

Pakistan is a federal republic with a bicameral national Parliament and four unicameral Provincial Assemblies in its four provinces, the province of Punjab being the most populous of the four provinces. The Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Pakistan, commonly known as Punjab Assembly, like other parliamentary institutions in the country, has evolved through a long process of constitutional development during the pre independence and the post independence periods.

Born as the Council of the Lieutenant Governor in 1897, it was merely a body of ten nominated members. The Council of the Lieutenant Governor was replaced by the Legislative Council in 1921; and ultimately reached the status of Assembly in 1937.

In the independent Pakistan, two Legislative Assemblies remained functional in the Punjab when in 1955, all the four provinces were incorporated into One Unit called West Pakistan. In July 1970, the Province of West Pakistan was abolished and the status of provinces was restored. The Constitution of Pakistan 1973 gave the present status to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab.
Building

The present Assembly building, situated at the Shahrah-e-Quaid-Azam, (The Mall), Lahore, a marvelous piece of Roman architecture, was designed by Mr Bazel M. Salune. Its foundation stone was laid on November 17, 1935 and the building was completed in 1938. The fourth session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, constituted in 1937, was held in this building on November 10, 1938. Since 1947, the present building has been the permanent seat of the Punjab as well as the West Pakistan Assemblies.