Pakistan 

Key facts

POPULATION (Census 1998): 132,352,279
AREA: 796,095 sq km
CAPITAL: Islamabad
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP: -
CURRENCY: Pakistani rupee (PKR)
HEAD OF STATE: President Asif Zardari
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Yousaf Gillani
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: parliamentary republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: bicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: federal
LANGUAGES: Urdu and English (official)
Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi (recognised)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS: last: 2008
LOCAL ELECTIONS: last: 2008

Summary

Pakistan is a federal republic whose local government has been temporarily suspended following the expiration of the 17th amendment and the passing of the 18th amendment to the constitution, which transfers responsibility for local government from central to provincial government. Due to the delay in local government elections, the administration of each district is currently headed by an appointed district administrator. The local government system in Pakistan is a three-tier system comprising district (zila), tehsil and union councils.

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Related links

Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme in Pakistan

Additional information since publication:

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