It consists of teams representing the government and semi-government departments, corporations, commercial organisations, business houses, banks, airlines, and educational institutions.

[1] Matches in the competition were afforded first-class status in most seasons until 2006–07,[2] when the domestic first-class competition was reorganised and merged into the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

For the 2012–13 domestic season a new first-class competition, called the President's Trophy Grade I, was created for departments.

[4][5] The President's Trophy was refounded again from the 2023/24 season after another revamp of the domestic structure.

[8][2] A year later, in 1973–74, the Pentangular Trophy was introduced, contested by the leading teams from both competitions.