kistan:Government

Names:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Digraph: PK

Type: republic

Capital: Islamabad

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

Independence: 14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday: Pakistan Day, 23 March (1956) (proclamation of the
republic)

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),