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s e n i t n n s Environment: The most significant issues are soil erosion, The population comprises Punjabis (44 per cent), Pashtuns (15 per P a

deforestation, desertification, and water pollution with untreated cent), (14 per cent), Saraikis (11 per cent), Muhajirs (7.6 per k i sewage and industrial waste and by use of commercial pesticides. cent), Balochis (3.6 per cent), and other smaller groups including s t

the tribal groups in the more remote northern areas. a Vegetation: Well-watered mountain slopes support forests of n deodar, pine, poplar, shisham, willow and other species. Towering Language: The official language is , but English is widely grasses and expanses of floating lotus flourish in the lake area of used. Regional languages are Punjabi, Pashtu, Sindhi and Saraiki. the plain. There are mangrove swamps to the south. Forest There are numerous local dialects. covers two per cent of the land area, having declined at 2.0 per Religion: Muslims 97 per cent, the majority of whom are Sunni, cent p.a. 1990–2010. Arable land comprises 27 per cent and with a minority (about 20 per cent) of Shia. There are small permanent cropland one per cent of the total land area. communities of Hindus, Christians, Qadianis and a few Parsis Wildlife: Wildlife in the northern mountains includes brown bears, (Zoroastrians). black Himalayan bears, musk deer, ibex, leopard and the rare Health: Public spending on health was one per cent of GDP in snow-leopard. Chinkara gazelle have a wider distribution, while 2011. The network of medical services includes hospitals, barking deer live closer to urban centres. In the delta, there are dispensaries, rural health centres and basic health units. Family crocodiles, pythons and wild boar. Green turtles, an endangered planning services are given at family welfare centres. Some 91 per species, regularly visit the coast during the egg-laying cent of the population uses an improved drinking water source and season. The haubara bustard is a winter visitor. Manchar Lake in 47 per cent have access to adequate sanitation facilities (2011). Sindh is rich in water-birds. In 2003, there were 37,800 sq km of Malaria remains a serious problem. There are 90 recognised protected areas (4.9 per cent of the land area). Some 23 mammal medical colleges in (2014). The principal teaching hospitals species and 29 bird species are thought to be endangered (2012). are in Karachi, , Islamabad, Peshawar and . Infant Main towns: Islamabad (capital, pop. 689,200 in 2010), Karachi mortality was 69 per 1,000 live births in 2012 (139 in 1960). (Sindh Province, 13.21m), Lahore (Punjab, 7.13m), Faisalabad Education: Public spending on education was two per cent of (Punjab, 2.88m), Rawalpindi (Punjab, 1.99m), Multan (Punjab, GDP in 2012. There are five years of primary education starting at 1.61m), Hyderabad (Sindh, 1.58m), Gujranwala (Punjab, 1.57m), the age of five, and seven years of secondary comprising cycles of Peshawar (Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, 1.44m), Quetta (, three and four years. Some 52 per cent of pupils complete primary 896,100), Sargodha (Punjab, 600,500), Bahawalpur (Punjab, school (2010). The school year starts in April. 543,900), Sialkot (Punjab, 510,900), Sukkur (Sindh, 493,400), Larkana (Sindh, 456,500), Shekhupura (Punjab, 427,000), Jhang In October 2013, the Higher Education Commission recognised (Punjab, 372,600), Rahimyar Khan (Punjab, 353,100), Mardan 151 degree-awarding institutions, 84 in the public sector. Allama (Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, 352,100), Gujrat (Punjab, 336,700), Kasur Iqbal Open University was established in 1974, the first open (Punjab, 322,000), Mingaora (Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, 279,900), university in Asia. Women’s University, Rawalpindi, Dera Ghazi Khan (Punjab, 273,300), Nawabshah (Sindh, 272,600), opened in 1998 and was Pakistan’s first university exclusively for Wah (Punjab, 265,200), Sahiwal (Punjab, 251,600), Mirpur Khas women. The female–male ratio for gross enrolment in tertiary (Sindh, 242,900), Okara (Punjab, 235,400), Kohat (Khyber education is 0.90:1 (2011). Literacy among people aged 15–24 is Pukhtoonkhwa, 176,200), Abottabad (Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, 71 per cent (2009). There is an extensive literacy programme. 148,600), Khuzdar (Balochistan, 148,100), Swabi (Khyber In 1994 Pakistan hosted the 12th Conference of Commonwealth Pukhtoonkhwa, 115,000), Dera Ismail Khan (Khyber Education Ministers in Islamabad. Commonwealth Education Pukhtoonkhwa, 111,900) and Zhob (Balochistan, 56,800). Ministers meet every three years to discuss issues of mutual Transport: There are 262,260 km of roads, 72 per cent paved, and concern and interest. 7,791 km of railway, with 781 stations. Main lines run Media: The first Urdu journal appeared in 1836. By the 1990s north–south, linking the main ports and industrial centre of Karachi there were more than 2,200 newspapers and periodicals, including with Islamabad, 1,600 km to the north. All major cities and most some 270 dailies and 500 weeklies. Leading English-language industrial centres are linked by rail. papers include Daily Times (Lahore and Karachi), (Karachi), Karachi port handles the bulk of foreign trade. Port Qasim, south- The Frontier Post (Peshawar), The Nation (Lahore), The News east of Karachi, is also an important port. Major international (Karachi), Pakistan Observer (Islamabad) and Business Recorder airports are at Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore. (financial daily). The main newspapers in Urdu are Ausaf , Jang and Nawa-i-Waqt . The principal weeklies are Pakistan and Gulf Society Economist , and The Friday Times (Lahore).

KEY FACTS 2012 Pakistan Television Corporation provides national and regional public TV services. The many private TV channels broadcast by Population per sq km: 225 cable and satellite; some owned by newspaper groups, and one Life expectancy: 66 years based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Pakistan Broadcasting Net primary enrolment: 72% Corporation provides public radio services, operating some 25 Population: 179,160,000 (2012); density varies from more than stations, including an external service. More than 100 private FM 230 people per sq km in Punjab to 13 in Balochistan; 37 per cent stations are licensed to broadcast. of people live in urban areas and 18 per cent in urban agglomerations of more than one million people; growth 2.2 per Some 56 per cent of households have TV sets (2007). cent p.a. 1990–2012; birth rate 26 per 1,000 people (43 in 1970); Communications: Country code 92; internet domain ‘.pk’. Mobile life expectancy 66 years (54 in 1970). phone coverage is generally limited to main towns. Internet cafés

The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014

can be found in most urban areas. There is a good postal service in s GDP by Sector (2012) e the main towns. i r t There are 32 main telephone lines, 671 mobile phone subscriptions n u and 100 internet users per 1,000 people (2012). Agriculture 24.4% o c Public holidays: (23 March), Independence Day (14 Industry 22.0% r e August), Defence Day (6 September), Allama Mohammad b Services 53.6% (9 November) and Birthday of Quaid-i-Azam (25 December). m e Religious festivals whose dates vary from year to year include m Prophet’s Birthday, Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan, two days), Eid al-

h After years of strong growth, the economy stalled in the latter t l Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice, two days) and Ashura. Christian 1990s, with a widening trade deficit and large external debt. In a

e holidays are taken by the Christian community only. March 1997, the Sharif government embarked on an economic

w revitalisation programme to enhance exports, reduce inflation, n generate employment and widen the tax base (there were then o Economy

m only one million income tax payers, mainly belonging to the urban KEY FACTS 2012 m middle class). An IMF structural adjustment programme was o GNI: US$225.1bn approved in October 1997, but suspended in May 1999, until C GNI p.c.: US$1,260 progress on economic reform was accelerated. GDP growth: 2.6% p.a. 2008–12 After the October 1999 coup, the military government set a new Inflation: 13.8% p.a. 2008–12 agenda of reforms, opening the way for the renewal of IMF Pakistan has a predominantly agricultural economy, with agriculture support in late 2000 and resulting in good growth for most of the (notably cotton), fisheries and forestry contributing about 20 per 2000s. From November 2002, the civilian government continued cent of GDP, and it has large deposits of natural gas; proven with this agenda which included the resumption of privatisation, reserves of gas were estimated in January 2013 to be 600 billion giving priority to agriculture, smaller enterprises, and oil and gas cubic metres. From the 1950s, manufacturing took off rapidly. exploration, as well as encouraging the development of a The economy has been developed through a series of five-year computer software industry. plans. From the 1960s protectionist policies were adopted, The economy grew by 6.6 per cent p.a. over 2004–08, but then, in followed by nationalisations in the 1970s and, from 1988, 2008, growth slowed (to an annual rate of 1.7 per cent) in encouragement of private enterprise and privatisation of state- response to the global downturn and collapse of world demand, owned banks and manufacturing enterprises. recovering in 2009, and was then generally buoyant (2.5–4 per cent p.a.) during 2009–14, despite the devastating floods that

Real Growth in GDP caused massive disruption to economic activity across the country from July 2010 and a small consequent dip in the pace of growth % 4.0 in 2010–11. 3.5

3.0 Constitution 2.5 Status: Republic 2.0 Legislature: Parliament of Pakistan

1.5 Independence: 14 August 1947 The constitution in force at the time of the October 1999 coup was 1.0 promulgated in 1973. The first amendment was introduced in 0.5 1974 and the fourteenth, in 1997. Much of it was suspended from 0.0 1977 and restored in December 1985. It was again suspended by 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 the military government after the October 1999 coup, and was partially restored in November 2002, following the parliamentary elections. On 19 April 2010 far-reaching constitutional reforms (the Inflation Eighteenth Amendment Bill) were signed into law, reducing key % 25 presidential powers and broadening the distribution of power within the government. The President no longer has the power to 20 dismiss the Prime Minister or the parliament.

The constitution proclaims Pakistan to be Islamic and democratic, 15 with fundamental rights guaranteed, including the freedoms of thought, speech, religion and worship, assembly, association, and 10 the press, as well as equality of status.

5 Under this constitution, the President is head of state and is elected for five years by an electoral college consisting of the members of 0 both houses of parliament and of the four provincial assemblies. 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

The Com mo nwealth Yearbook 2014

Until April 1997, the President had certain discretionary powers campaign against the Legal Framework Order as the Alliance for P a

including the power to dissolve the National Assembly. These the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) – an alliance of PPPP, PML-N k i powers were restored by the military government immediately and several smaller parties – was weakened by the death of its s t before the elections in October 2002 through the Legal Framework leader and the absence of exiled leaders and Nawaz a n Order (LFO) together with other amendments. Under the Sharif. eighteenth amendment of April 2010, however, the President’s role In January 2004 Musharraf won confidence votes in the Assembly, once again became largely ceremonial. the Senate and the four provincial assemblies. In May 2004, in view There is a bicameral legislature. The lower house is the National of the progress made towards democracy, CMAG readmitted Assembly. From 2002 the Assembly had 342 members, comprising Pakistan to the councils of the Commonwealth. In June 2004 the 272 members directly elected for five years by adult suffrage, plus Prime Minister resigned and was succeeded by Chaudhry Shujaat 60 women and ten representatives of minorities (non-Muslims). Hussain until July when he made way for Finance Minister Shaukat These seats reserved for women and minorities’ representatives are Aziz on his winning a seat in the Assembly. In December 2004 allocated proportionally to all parties gaining more than five per Musharraf announced he would continue as President and chief of cent of the directly elected seats. The Prime Minister is elected by army staff until 2007 when elections were due. the National Assembly. The upper house, the Senate, has 100 In the presidential election held in October 2007 Musharraf was members (previously 87) elected for six years with about half of unofficially proclaimed winner pending a key ruling by the Supreme them retiring every three years. Each of the four provinces elects 22 Court regarding his eligibility to run for presidency while serving as senators, including four women and four technocrats; the chief of army staff. remaining 12 are elected from the Federal Capital Territory and the tribal areas. Legal constitutional change requires the support of Exiled Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto returned to two-thirds of the total membership of the National Assembly and Pakistan in October 2007 after the presidential election. On the the Senate. way from the airport to Karachi her convoy was hit by a suicide bomb attack. She survived, but hundreds were killed and injured.

Politics In November 2007, ostensibly because of national security Last elections: 11 May 2013 (legislative), 30 July concerns, Musharraf declared a state of emergency effectively 2013 (presidential) suspending the country’s constitution by a provisional constitutional Next elections: 2018 (legislative), 2018 order (PCO). A news blackout was imposed on major private (presidential) television stations. Several hundred protestors, journalists and Head of state: President political opponents of Musharraf were arrested and eight Supreme Court judges including the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Head of government: Prime Minister Chaudary, who would not recognise the PCO, were dismissed and Ruling party: (Nawaz) put under house arrest. Women MPs: 21% In June 2001 Army Chief of Staff General – who Musharraf came under increasing international pressure to restore had led a military government since October 1999 – dissolved the country’s constitution and abide by the timetable for free and parliament and the four provincial legislatures; President Rafiq Tarar fair parliamentary elections. CMAG convened in Kampala on 22 resigned; and Musharraf became President. A referendum held in November 2007 and suspended Pakistan from the councils of the April 2002 confirmed Musharraf’s position as President for a period Commonwealth, pending the restoration of democracy and the of five years. rule of law in that country.

National Assembly elections in October 2002 produced a hung Musharraf appointed a new Chief Justice and a caretaker Prime parliament. The Pakistan Muslim League–Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q), Minister, . He resigned as army chief and which supported Musharraf, took 77 seats, followed by Pakistan was sworn in as President for a five-year term. The state of People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) with 63, Muttahida Majlis-e- emergency was lifted in December 2007. Amal (MMA) with 45, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif, exiled leader of PML-N, at his second attempt in the with 14, National Democratic Alliance with 13 and Muttahida same year, was allowed to return. By end November 2007, both he Qaumi Movement (MQM) with 13, leaving a large block of and Bhutto had registered to participate in the following members of smaller parties and independents. The Commonwealth parliamentary elections. On 27 December 2007, as she was leaving observer group present said that ‘on election day this was a an election rally in Rawalpindi, Bhutto was assassinated. Violence credible election’, but that ‘in the context of various measures erupted throughout the country. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Benazir’s taken by the government we are not persuaded of the overall son, was chosen as her eventual successor; her husband Asif Ali fairness of the process as a whole’. Zardari was to lead the PPPP, as co-chair, until Bilawal had The National Assembly elected Chaudhry Amir Hussain (PML-Q) as completed his education. The elections due for January were Speaker and Mir (PML-Q) as Prime Minister. postponed. The continuing dispute between Musharraf and the opposition The parliamentary elections were held in February 2008; the parties on the status of the Legal Framework Order (and especially turnout was 44 per cent. Opposition parties won the most seats – his power to dismiss the Prime Minister and dissolve the Assembly) PPPP won 125 seats and PML-N 91 – but no party had an absolute and Musharraf’s own position as President and chief of army staff majority. The party supporting Musharraf, PML-Q, suffered huge created political deadlock. Parliament was not functioning and the losses, taking only 53 seats and many former ministers lost their government ruled by decree. The MMA emerged as leader in the seats. The MQM secured 25 seats. With no party securing a clear

The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014 majority, PPPP, PML-N, Awami National Party (ANP, 13 seats) and Nine PML-N ministers resigned shortly after the presidential s

e Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) formed a coalition government election, citing the apparent reluctance of the PPPP to reinstate i r

t headed by PPPP’s Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, as Prime Minister. judges previously dismissed during the 2007 state of emergency. n The move effectively ended the PPPP- and PML-N-dominated u On 12 May 2008, CMAG met in London and agreed that, since it o coalition government and saw the beginning of a new one, c last met in November 2007, the Government of Pakistan had taken consisting of the PPPP, ANP, JUI-F and MQM. r positive steps to fulfil its obligations in accordance with e b Commonwealth fundamental values and principles. It accordingly In late February 2009 the Supreme Court confirmed the m restored Pakistan as a full member of the Commonwealth. disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shabhaz from e holding elected office. Following the verdict, governor’s rule was m

In the face of warnings by the PPPP and PML-N leadership of imposed in Punjab Province, where Shabhaz Sharif had held the h impeachment by parliament, Musharraf announced his resignation t l post of Chief Minister, and Nawaz Sharif allied himself with the

a as President in August 2008. In the ensuing presidential election,

e lawyers’ movement which had been campaigning for the PPPP co-chair Zardari was elected to replace Musharraf in

w reinstatement of the Chief Justice, asserting that the Supreme September 2008. Zardari (securing 481 electoral college votes) n Court verdict demonstrated the lack of an independent judiciary. o defeated PML-N’s candidate, Saeed-uz-zaman Siddiqui (153 votes), m and PML-Q’s Syed (44). In the lead-up to the Confronted by the prospect of large-scale popular unrest, in March m election PML-N left the governing coalition, which then comprised 2009 the government announced the reinstatement of deposed o

C PPPP, ANP, JUI-F and MQM. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and requested a review of the

History

The region of Pakistan was one of the cradles of civilisation. originally consisted of two parts, (now Pakistan) Stone-age hunter-gatherers lived on the Potohar plateau and in and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), separated by 1,600 km of the Soan Valley in northern Punjab 300,000 or more years ago. Indian territory. Partition was followed by war with over Excavations on the Balochistan plateau show a more advanced Kashmir and the mass migration of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs to culture which flourished from 4000 to 2000 BCE. At Kot Diji in resettle within the new borders, an upheaval which led to the Khairpur district, an early bronze age culture developed in violence, financial loss and death on a large scale. With the arrival this period. These early civilisations reached their peak in the of Indian Muslims and departure of Pakistan’s Hindus and Sikhs, Indus valley cities, of which Harappa is the most notable. These Pakistan became an almost entirely Muslim society. Jinnah, who is societies had mastered town planning and pictographic writing. honoured as the Quaid-i-Azam, or great leader, died in 1948.

In 327 BCE Alexander the Great invaded with his Macedonian In 1956, Pakistan became a federal republic. It has been under army. Later, Mauryans from India ruled the northern Punjab area, military rule for long periods. Its first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali to be replaced by Bactrian Greeks from Afghanistan and central Khan, was assassinated in 1951. In 1958, martial law was Asian tribes. Different religions prevailed in turn: Buddhism declared and political parties abolished. General (later Field (under the Mauryans), Hinduism and, with Arab conquest in the Marshal) became President in 1960 and allowed a eighth century, Islam. form of guided ‘basic democracy’. However, failure to win the 1965 war against India and accusations of nepotism and Two main principalities emerged under Arab rule, that of al- corruption undermined his position. In the east, the Awami Mansurah and that of Multan. The Ghaznarid sultans gained League of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman voiced the grievances of the ascendancy in Punjab in the 11th century. The subsequent Bengali population. Ayub Khan resigned in 1969 and power was ascendancy of the Moghuls, who originated in Central Asia, taken over by General , who in December 1970 held lasted from 1536 to 1707; their rule lingered nominally until the first national elections in independent Pakistan. 1857. They established a sophisticated imperial administration and left a rich legacy of forts and walled cities, gardens and Mujib and the Awami League won an electoral majority in gateways, mosques and tombs. Pakistan’s general election on a platform demanding greater autonomy for East Pakistan. At the same time Zulfikar Ali In the early 17th century European traders arrived on the Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) gained a majority in the subcontinent. Through the East India Company, the British West. Despite Mujib’s victory, he was prevented by the Pakistan became the dominant force. After the unsuccessful uprising authorities from becoming Prime Minister of the combined state against Britain of 1857, the British took direct control. Slowly a and the Awami League then issued their own plans for a new national Muslim identity emerged, championed by Sir Syed constitution for an independent state in the East. As a result of Ahmed Khan (1817–89). The All India Muslim League was the military intervention that ensued, civil war broke out in the founded in 1907. eastern region in 1971; the Indian army intervened in support of As the subcontinent moved towards independence, it became the Bengalis; Pakistan forces withdrew and Bangladesh became clear that Hindu and Muslim interests could not be reconciled. an independent state. In 1972 Pakistan withdrew from the The campaign to establish an independent Muslim state came to Commonwealth but rejoined in 1989. prominence in the 1920s and 30s. It was led by the philosopher Under a new constitution introduced in 1973, Bhutto became and poet Mohammad Iqbal and Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Prime Minister. He undertook agrarian reform and the Pakistan was created, as an Islamic state, out of the partition of nationalisation of large sections of industry and the financial the UK’s Indian Empire, at independence in August 1947. It sector. In July 1977 the army, under General Zia ul-Haq,

The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014 Supreme Court judgment that had disqualified the Sharifs from On completion of the National Assembly’s five-year term in March P a

holding elected office. In May 2009 the Supreme Court reversed 2013, national and provincial elections were called for 11 May k i the judgment and Shabhaz Sharif was reinstated as Chief Minister 2013, and was sworn in as caretaker s t in Punjab Province. In July 2009 the Supreme Court quashed Prime Minister. In the elections, when turnout was 54 per cent, a n Nawaz Sharif’s convictions of hijacking and terrorism (brought PML-N, led by Nawaz Sharif, took 184 of 323 Assembly seats against him following the military coup of October 1999). (with 32.8 per cent of the votes); PPPP 42 (15.2 per cent); Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by , 30 (16.9 per In November 2009 the Supreme Court revoked the National cent); MQM 23 (5.4 per cent); JUI-F 12 (3.2 per cent); and Reconciliation Ordinances of October 2007 which had granted independents eight (13.0 per cent). On 5 June 2013 immunity to those officials and politicians who had been charged parliamentarians elected Sharif Prime Minister (with 244 votes); with corruption and other offences. The revocation of the ordinances his closest rivals were Makhdoom Amin Fahim of PPPP (42) and revived corruption charges against many of its beneficiaries. Makhdoom of PTI (31). On 26 April 2012 the Supreme Court convicted Prime Minister The presidential election held on 30 July 2013 was won by the Gilani of contempt of court, following his refusal to request the PML-N’s candidate, Mamnoon Hussain, who secured 432 electoral Swiss authorities to reopen a money-laundering case against college votes, defeating of the PTI (77 votes). President Zardari, and on 19 June 2012 the Supreme Court The PPPP did not field a candidate. disqualified Gilani from office. On 22 June Raja Pervez Ashraf was elected by parliament to succeed Gilani as Prime Minister.

intervened in the urban unrest. Zia declared martial law and for the commercial aircraft in which he was returning to Karachi arrested Bhutto who was convicted, after a controversial trial, of (from an official visit to Sri Lanka). The army countermanded the conspiring to murder a political opponent. Despite international Prime Minister’s orders and immediately seized power, dismissing appeals, he was hanged in April 1979. Zia promised elections the government and arresting Sharif. Musharraf justified his within 90 days, but ruled without them until his death. He actions as necessary to restore both the economy and the assumed the presidency and embarked on a programme of deteriorating political situation. Pending the restoration of Islamisation. Martial law and the ban on political parties were democracy the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) lifted in 1985, Bhutto’s daughter Benazir returned from exile to suspended Pakistan from the councils of the Commonwealth. lead the PPP and Zia died in a plane crash in August 1988.

Elections in November 1988 brought the PPP to power in coalition Kashmir with the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM). However, in October The dispute with India over Kashmir escalated sharply in 1999, 1989 the MQM left the coalition and in August 1990 Bhutto was when militants with Pakistani military support crossed the Line of dismissed by the President Ghulam Ishaque Khan and charged Control at Kargil and engaged in major battles with Indian forces. with corruption. The National Assembly was dissolved and a More than 1,000 people were killed in the fighting. In July 1999, caretaker leader installed until led by Pakistan finally agreed to withdraw from Indian-controlled Nawaz Sharif won a decisive election victory in October 1990. territory, but the state of tension, which had been heightened by Sharif pursued economic reforms and privatisation and instituted the nuclear testing of 1998 (India had detonated five nuclear Sharia (Islamic) law until 1993 when President and Prime Minister devices on 11 and 13 May 1998 and Pakistan responded with six resigned under pressure from the military, making way for fresh on 28 and 30 May), persisted. elections which brought Benazir Bhutto back to power by a small At the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in majority. 2001 President General Pervez Musharraf attended a summit in In November 1996, President Sardar Farooq Khan Leghari, India, focusing on their dispute over Kashmir. Although there was prompted by the army high command and opposition leaders, no substantive outcome, this first face-to-face meeting between used the eighth amendment to the constitution, and dissolved leaders of the two countries since 1999 was characterised by a the National Assembly, bringing down the Bhutto government new interest on both sides in seeking a resolution to this long- and alleging corruption, financial incompetence, and human standing problem. However, by May 2002 India had mobilised a rights violations. New elections were held in February 1997. The vast army along the Line of Control and the two countries were Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) – previously the main again on the brink of war. component of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad – won 134 seats in the Tension eased considerably in October 2002 when India reduced National Assembly and Sharif became Prime Minister. Bhutto’s its number of troops along the Line of Control; diplomatic Pakistan People’s Party retained only 18 seats. In April 1997, relations were restored in August 2003 and a ceasefire along the Sharif was able to gain the PPP’s support to achieve the two- Line of Control was agreed and took effect from 26 November thirds majority necessary to repeal the eighth amendment, ending 2003. Peace talks between India and Pakistan began in 2004, the President’s ability to dissolve the National Assembly. He also marking a historic advance in relations between the two took over from the President the power to appoint Supreme countries. The talks led to the restoration of communication links Court judges and military chiefs-of-staff. and a range of confidence-building measures, including co- In October 1999, Sharif ordered the dismissal of Army Chief of ordinated relief efforts in the aftermath of the October 2005 Staff General Pervez Musharraf, and refused permission to land earthquake.

The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014 s International relations Further information e i r Pakistan is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Organisation Government of Pakistan: www.pakistan.gov.pk t n of Islamic Cooperation, South Asian Association for Regional Election Commission of Pakistan: www.ecp.gov.pk u Cooperation, United Nations and World Trade Organization. o National Assembly of Pakistan: www.na.gov.pk c

r Pakistan Bureau of Statistics: www.pbs.gov.pk e Traveller information b State Bank of Pakistan: www.sbp.org.pk m Immigration and customs: Passports must be valid for at least six e Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation: months from the date of departure. Visas are required by all m www.tourism.gov.pk Commonwealth nationals. Prohibited imports include alcohol, h

t Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org l matches, and plants and plant material, including fresh fruit. a Commonwealth of Nations: e Travel within the country: Traffic drives on the left. An www.commonwealthofnations.org/country/Pakistan w

n international driving permit is required to hire a car. o Scheduled flights, the rail network and air-conditioned buses link Media m Business Recorder : www.brecorder.com m the main towns. Taxis are widely available in urban areas. o Daily Times : www.dailytimes.com.pk C Travel health: Prevalent diseases where appropriate precautionary measures are recommended include cholera, dengue fever, Dawn : www.dawn.com diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, Pakistan Observer : pakobserver.net polio, rabies and typhoid. The Frontier Post : www.thefrontierpost.com There were 1,000,000 tourist arrivals in 2011. The Nation : www.nation.com.pk The News : www.thenews.com.pk Pakistan and Gulf Economist : www.pakistaneconomist.com The Friday Times : www.thefridaytimes.com Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation: www.radio.gov.pk Pakistan Television Corporation: ptv.com.pk Associated Press of Pakistan: app.com.pk/en_

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The Commonwealth Yearbook 2014