At stake in this election:

• 342 seats in the National Assembly

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: General Pervez MUSHARRAF
• Head of Government: President Pervez MUSHARRAF
• Assembly: Pakistan has a bicameral Parliament (Majlis-e-Shoora) consisting of the Senate with 100 seats and the National Assembly with 342 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The General is elected by parliament to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Senate 100 members are elected by indirect vote to serve 4-year terms. In the National Assembly 342 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms.**

** 60 seats represent women; 10 seats represent minorities.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid-i-Azam (PML-Q)
  • Leader: Zafarullah Khan JAMALI
  • Seats won in last National Assembly election: N/A
  • Seats won in this National Assembly election: 77
• Party: Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP)
  • Leader: Makhdoom Amin FAHIM
  • Seats won in last National Assembly election: N/A
  • Seats won in this National Assembly election: 63
• Party: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Pakistan (MMA)
  • Leader: Maulana Shan Ahmed NOORANI
  • Seats won in last National Assembly election: N/A
  • Seats won in this National Assembly election: 45

Last Legislative election:

• The last National Assembly election was held on February 3, 1997.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 144,616,639 (July 2001 est.)
• Registered Voters: 70,755,379 (2002)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 69,864,270 (2002)

·         Is Pakistan a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Pakistan ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (12 March 1996)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 5 (National Assembly); 1 (Senate) following the 1997 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 147 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Pakistan a signatory to CRPD: Yes (25 September 2008)

·         Has Pakistan ratified CRPD: Yes (5 July 2011)

·         Population with a disability: 21,692,495 (est.)