The Government of the Punjab (Punjabi/) is the legal authority of the Pakistani province of Punjab, based in its capital Lahore. It has authority over its 41 districts, with powers and structure set out in the national constitution. The government is composed of three branches â legislative, executive, and judicial. The Punjab Assembly serves as the unicameral legislative authority of the province, and elects the chief minister to head the government, executive, and their appointed cabinet â which is aided by the chief secretary, who serves as the bureaucratic chief and highest-ranking administrative officer of the province. The Governor, appointed by the federal government, serves as the ceremonial head of province. The Lahore High Court, headed by its Chief Justice, is the highest court in the province's judiciary, having supreme appellate jurisdiction over all provincial cases.
The Punjab province is the country's most populous region and is home to the Punjabis and various other groups. Neighbouring provinces of Pakistan are Sindh to the south, Balochistan to the south-west and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the north-west, as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the north and Islamabad Capital Territory to the north-west. It also shares International border with Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east and Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir to the north. The main languages are Punjabi and Urdu and the provincial capital is Lahore. The name Punjab literally translates from Persian into the words 'Panj' (þçÃÂì) five, and 'Aab' (âè) water respectively, which can be translated as "five water" (hence the poetic name land of the five rivers), referring to the Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum rivers. Part of the Indus river also lies in Punjab, but it is not considered one of the "five" rivers.
There are 41 departments in the Punjab government. Each Department is headed by a provincial Minister (elected member of the provincial assembly) and a provincial Secretary (a civil servant of usually BPS-20, 21, or BPS-22). All ministers and Secretaries report to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary, who are the Chief Executive. The Chief Secretary Punjab is a BPS-22 grade bureaucrat. The Chief Secretary is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
In addition to these departments, there are several Autonomous Bodies and Attached Departments that report directly to either the Secretaries or the Chief Secretary. Punjab is the largest Province by population. For better management, Sub Secretariat and Additional Inspector General (IG) South Punjab office in Multan was established by the government.
The Punjab Assembly is a unicameral legislature with 297 elected members, 66 seats reserved for women and 8 seats reserved for non-Muslims)