1985 Pakistani general election

{{Short description|none}}

{{Infobox election

| country = Pakistan

| type = parliamentary

| previous_election = 1977 Pakistani general election

| previous_year = 1977

| next_election = 1988 Pakistani general election

| next_year = 1988

| election_date = 25 February 1985

| seats_for_election = 217 of the 237 seats in the National Assembly

| majority_seats = 109

| turnout = 53.70% ({{decrease}}0.98pp)

| registered = 32,528,996

| party1 = Independents

| seats1 = 217

| popular_vote1 =

| percentage1 = 100%

| title = Prime Minister

| before_election = None (vacant since 1977 due to martial law)

| before_party =

| after_election = Muhammad Khan Junejo

| after_party = Independent politician

| map_image = Pakistan General election 1985.png

| map_caption = Results by constituency

}}{{Politics of Pakistan}}

General elections were held in Pakistan on 25 February 1985 to elect members of the National Assembly.[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/PAKISTAN_1985_E.PDF Pakistan] Inter-Parliamentary Union The elections were held under the military government of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq after the restoration of the 1973 constitution.

Around 1,300 candidates contested the elections, which were held on a nonpartisan basis.Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p678 {{ISBN|0-19-924958-X}} Each candidate was required to have their nomination paper signed by 50 registered voters from the constituency they wished to stand in.Report on the General Elections, 1985, Election Commission of Pakistan, 1986, p300 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.

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.