Constitution: 10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with
amendments 30 December 1985
Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to
accommodate Pakistan's stature as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; separate electorates and
reserved parliamentary seats for non-Muslims
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sardar Farooq LEGHARI; election last held 13
November 1993 (next to be held no later than 14 October 1998); results
- LEGHARI was elected by Parliament and the four provincial assemblies
head of government: Prime Minister Benazir BHUTTO
cabinet: Cabinet
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Majlis-e-Shoora)
Senate: elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA March
1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (87 total) PPP
22, PML/N 17; Tribal Area Representatives (nonparty) 8, ANP 6, PML/J
5, JWP 5, MQM/A 5, JUI/F 2, PKMAP 2, JI 2, NPP 2, BNM/H 1, BNM/M 1,
JUP/NI 1, JUP/NO 1, JAH 1, JUI/S 1, PML/F 1, PNP 1, independents 2,
vacant 1
National Assembly: elections last held 6 October 1993 (next to be held
by October 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (217
total) PPP 92, PML/N 75, PML/J 6, IJM-Islamic Democratic Front 4, ANP
3, PKMAP 4, PIF 3, JWP 2, MDM 2, BNM/H 1, BNM/M 1, NDA 1, NPP 1, PKQP
1, Religious minorities 10 reserved seats, independents 9, results
pending 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Federal Islamic (Shari'at) Court
Political parties and leaders:
government: Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Benazir BHUTTO; Pakistan
Muslim League, Junejo faction (PML/J), Hamid Nasir CHATTHA; National
People's Party (NPP), Ghulam Mustapha JATOI; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami
Party (PKMAP), Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI; Balochistan National Movement,
Hayee Group (BNM/H), Dr. HAYEE Baluch; National Democratic Alliance
(NDA), Maulana Kausar NIAZI; Pakhtun Quami Party (PKQP), Mohammed
AFZAL Khan; Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Akbar Khan BUGTI
opposition: Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction (PML/N),
Nawaz SHARIF; Awami National Party (ANP), Khan Abdul WALI KHAN;
Pakistan Islamic Front (PIF), Qazi Hussain AHMED; Balochistan National
Movement, Mengal Group (BNM/M), Sardar Akhtar MENGAL; Mohajir Quami
Movement, Altaf faction (MQM/A), Altaf HUSSAIN; Jamaat-i-Islami (JI),
Qazi Hussain AHMED; Jamiat-al-Hadith (JAH)
frequently shifting: Mutaheda Deeni Mahaz (MDM), Maulana Sami-ul-HAQ,
the MDM includes Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction (JUP/NI) and
Anjuman Sepah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (ASSP); Islami-Jamhoori-Mahaz
(IJM-Islamic Democratic Party), the IJM includes Jamiat
Ulema-i-Islami, Fazlur Rehman group (JUI/F); Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan,
Noorani faction (JUP/NO); Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction
(JUI/S); Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group (PML/F); Pakistan
National Party (PNP)
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently
Other political or pressure groups: military remains important
political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small
merchants also influential
Member of: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIL, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO