European Asylum Support Office EASO Country of Origin Information Report Pakistan Country Overview August 2015 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION European Asylum Support Office EASO EASO Country of Origin Information Report Pakistan Country Overview August 2015 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union. Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00800 numbers or these calls may be billed. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). ISBN 978-92-9243-510-3 doi:10.2847/991158 © European Asylum Support Office, 2015 Neither EASO nor any person acting on its behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. EASO Country of Origin Information Report — Pakistan. Country Overview — 3 Acknowledgments EASO would like to acknowledge the following national asylum and migration departments as the co-authors of this report: Austria, Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, Country of Origin Information Department Belgium, Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons, Cedoca (Centre for Documentation and Research) France, French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless persons (OFPRA), Information, Documentation and Research Division Hungary, Office of Immigration and Nationality, Documentation Centre UK, Home Office, Country Policy and Information Team The following departments reviewed this report: Ireland, Refugee Documentation Centre, Legal Aid Board Lithuania, Migration Department under Ministry of Internal Affairs, Asylum Affairs Division UNHCR has reviewed the report in relation to information for which UNHCR is quoted as the source, relating to persons of concern to UNHCR in Pakistan (refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons in Pakistan, as well as IDPs). 4 — EASO Country of Origin Information Report — Pakistan. Country Overview Contents Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Disclaimer ...................................................................................................................................................... 8 Glossary ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Map of Pakistan ............................................................................................................................................15 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................16 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................. 16 Defining the terms of reference ............................................................................................................ 16 Collecting information ........................................................................................................................... 16 Quality control ....................................................................................................................................... 16 1. General Country Information.................................................................................................................17 1.1 Geography ............................................................................................................................................. 17 1.1.1 Landscape ................................................................................................................................. 17 1.1.2 Climate ...................................................................................................................................... 17 1.1.3 Administrative divisions ............................................................................................................ 17 1.1.4 Cities .......................................................................................................................................... 17 1.1.5 Transport infrastructure ........................................................................................................... 18 1.2 Demography .......................................................................................................................................... 18 1.2.1 Population ................................................................................................................................. 18 1.2.2 Ethnic and religious groups ....................................................................................................... 19 1.2.3 Language ................................................................................................................................... 19 1.3 Short History .......................................................................................................................................... 19 1.3.1 Before independence ................................................................................................................ 19 1.3.2 From dominion to republic ....................................................................................................... 19 1.3.3 First military era ........................................................................................................................ 19 1.3.4 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto ..................................................................................................................... 20 1.3.5 Second military era ................................................................................................................... 20 1.3.6 A decade of civilian rule ............................................................................................................ 20 1.3.7 Third military era ...................................................................................................................... 21 1.3.8 Recent developments ............................................................................................................... 21 1.4 State structure and political landscape ................................................................................................. 22 1.4.1 Parliament, government and administration ............................................................................ 22 1.4.2 Federalism ................................................................................................................................. 23 1.4.3 Judiciary .................................................................................................................................... 26 1.4.4 Security forces .......................................................................................................................... 27 1.4.5 Elections .................................................................................................................................... 28 1.4.6 Political parties .......................................................................................................................... 31 EASO Country of Origin Information Report — Pakistan. Country Overview — 5 1.5 Education ............................................................................................................................................... 32 1.5.1 Literacy and enrolment ............................................................................................................. 32 1.5.2 Education system ...................................................................................................................... 33 1.5.3 Institutes and organisations ...................................................................................................... 33 1.6 Media and telecommunication .............................................................................................................. 34 1.6.1 Media ........................................................................................................................................ 34 1.6.2 Telecommunication ................................................................................................................... 36 1.7 Health Care ............................................................................................................................................ 38 1.7.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 38 1.7.2 HIV/AIDS .................................................................................................................................... 38 1.7.3 Cancer ....................................................................................................................................... 38 1.7.4 Mental health ............................................................................................................................ 39 1.7.5 Reproductive health .................................................................................................................. 39 1.7.6 Disabilities ................................................................................................................................. 39 1.8 Socio-economic