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 (since 13 November 1993) head of government : Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF (since 17 February 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 13 November 1993 (next to be held no later than 14 October 1998); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the National Assembly; election last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2002) election results: Sardar Farooq LEGHARI elected president; percent of Parliament vote - NA; Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (87 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve six-year terms; one-third of the members up for election every two years; has advisory powers only) and the National Assembly (217 seats; 207 represent Muslims and 10 represent non-Muslims; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 1999); National Assembly - last held 3 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2002) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML/N 30, PPP 17, ANP 7, MQM/A 6, JWP 5, BNP 4, JUI/F 2, PML/J 2, BNM/M 1, PKMAP 1, TJP 1, independents 6, vacant 5; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PML/N 137, PPP 18, MQM/A 12, ANP 10, BNP 3, JWP 2, JUI/F 2, PPP/SB 1, NPP 1, independents 21, minorities 10
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judicial chiefs are appointed by the president; Federal Islamic (Shari'at) Court
Political parties and leaders:
government: Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction (PML/N),
Nawaz SHARIF; Awami National Party (ANP), Ajmal Khan KHATTAK;
Balochistan National Movement/Mengal Group (BNM/M), Sardar Akhtar
MENGAL; Mohajir Quami Movement, Altaf faction (MQM/A), Altaf HUSSAIN;
Jamiat-al-Hadith (JAH); Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Akbar Khan BUGTI;
Pakistan People's Party/Shaheed Bhutto (PPP/SB), Ghinva BHUTTO; Baluch
National Party (BNP), leader NA
opposition: 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; Pakhtun Quami Party
(PKQP), Mohammed AFZAL Khan
frequently shifting: Mutaheda Deeni Mahaz (MDM), Maulana Sami-ul-HAQ,
the MDM includes Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Niazi faction (JUP/NI) and
Sepah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP); Islami-Jamhoori-Mahaz (IJM-Islamic
Democratic Front) includes Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami, Fazlur Rehman group
(JUI/F); Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group (PML/F), Pir PAGARO;
Pakistan National Party (PNP); Milli Yakjheti Council (MYC) is an
umbrella organization which includes Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Qazi
Hussain AHMED, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami-ul-Haq faction (JUI/S),
Tehrik-I-Jafria Pakistan (TJP), Allama Sajid NAQVI, and Jamiat
Ulema-i-Pakistan, Noorani faction (JUP/NO)
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently
Political pressure groups and leaders: military remains important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential
International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO,
ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA,
SAARC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR,
UNMIBH, UNMIH, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Riaz KHOKAR chancery: 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6200 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0484 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas W. SIMONS, Jr. embassy : Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 telephone: [92] (51) 826161 through 826179 FAX: [92] (51) 214222 consulate(s) general : Karachi, Lahore consulate(s): Peshawar