ng form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan
local short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Government type:

federal republic

Capital:

name: Islamabad
geographic coordinates: 33 42 N, 73 10 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan,
Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**,
North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir
and Northern Areas

Independence:

14 August 1947 (from British India)

National holiday:

Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution:

12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985;
suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31
December 2003; suspended 3 November 2007; restored on 15 December
2007

Legal system:

based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Asif Ali ZARDARI (since 6 September 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza GILANI (since 25
March 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the
prime minister
elections: the president is elected by secret ballot through an
Electoral College comprising the members of the Senate, National
Assembly, and the provincial assemblies for a five-year term;
election last held on 6 September 2008 (next to be held not later
than 2013); note - any person who is a Muslim and not less than 45
years of age and is qualified to be elected as a member of the
National Assembly can contest the presidential election; the prime
minister is selected by the National Assembly; election last held on
24 March 2008
election results: ZARDARI elected; ZARDARI 481 votes, SIDDIQUI 153
votes, HUSSAIN 44 votes; GILANI elected prime minister; GILANI 264
votes, Pervaiz ELAHI 42 votes; several abstentions

Legislative branch:

bicameral parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100
seats; members indirectly e