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*[http://www.pak.gov.pk/ Government of Pakistan website]
*[http://www.pak.gov.pk/ Government of Pakistan website]
*[http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/ The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan]
*[http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/ The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan]
*[http://fletcher.tufts.edu/news/2004/05/najam1.shtml Expert essay suggesting the loss of faith in democracy in Pakistan] by Professor [[Adil Najam]] of The [[Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]], [[Tufts University]] published in Pakistan's leading English Daily [[<i>The News International<i>]].
*[http://fletcher.tufts.edu/news/2004/05/najam1.shtml Expert essay suggesting the loss of faith in democracy in Pakistan] by Professor [[Adil Najam]] of The [[Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]], [[Tufts University]] published in Pakistan's leading English Daily <i>[[The News International]]<i>.


[[Category:Politics of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Politics of Pakistan]]

Revision as of 07:07, 8 January 2006

Politics of Pakistan
Federalism

Azad Kashmir government

Government of Gilgit-Baltistan

Local government

Parliament legislature

Constitution of Pakistan

Executive
Judiciary
Elections

Territorial election commission

Elections

Provincial elections

Territorial elections

Political parties

Administrative units
Capital territory

Provinces

Autonomous region

Foreign relations
Diplomacy

Customs

Regional topics

flag Pakistan portal

Overview

Political Groupings

Pakistan's two largest mainstream parties are the left-wing Pakistan Peoples Party and the centrist Pakistan Muslim League. Many other large or politically significant parties as well as smaller organizations also play an active part in the country's politics. The right-wing Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (United Action Council) is a coalition of "religious" parties that controls the government of two out of four provinces. A secular liberal party, the Muttahida Qaumi Mahaz (MQM) (United National Movement, formerly known as the Muhajir Qaumi Movement is also often one of the largest groups in the National Assembly. See #Political parties and leaders below.

Form of Government

Officially a federal republic, Pakistan has had a long history of alternating periods of electoral democracy and authoritarian military government. Military presidents include General Ayub Khan in the 1960s, General Zia ul Haq in the 1980s, and General Pervez Musharraf from 1999. However, a majority of Pakistan's Heads of State and Heads of Government have been elected civilian leaders. General elections were held in October 2002. After monitoring the elections, the Commonwealth Observer Group stated in conclusion:

We believe that on election day this was a credible election: the will of the people was expressed and the results reflected their wishes. However, in the context of various measures taken by the government we are not persuaded of the overall fairness of the process as a whole [1]

On May 22, 2004, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group re-admitted Pakistan into the Commonwealth, formally acknowledging its progress in returning to democracy.

Recent Political History

In October 1999, General Pervez Musharraf overthrew the civilian government after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif allegedly hijacked the commercial airliner on which Musharraf was travelling, and attempted to thwart its landing at Karachi. Musharraf assumed executive authority. Local government elections were held in 2000. Musharraf declared himself president in 2001. An April 2002 national referendum approved Musharraf role as president, but the vote was tainted by allegations of rigging, and the opposition stridently questioned the legitimacy of Musharraf's presidency until his electoral college victory in January 2004.

Nation-wide parliamentary elections were held in 2002 with Zafarullah Khan Jamali of the Pakistan Muslim League party emerging as Prime Minister. After over a year of political wrangling in the bicameral legislature, Musharraf struck a compromise with some of his Parliamentary opponents, giving his supporters the two-thirds majority vote required to amend the constitution in December 2003, retroactively legalizing his 1999 coup and permitting him to remain president if he met certain conditions. A parliamentary electoral college - consisting of the National Assembly and Senate and the provincial assemblies - gave Musharraf a vote of confidence[2] on January 1, 2004, thereby legitimizing his presidency until 2007.

Prime Minister Jamali resigned on June 26, 2004. PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain became interim PM, and was succeeded by Finance minister and former Citibank VP Shaukat Aziz, who became Prime Minister on 28 August 2004.


Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Data code: PK

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Islamabad

Administrative divisions:

Pakistan subdivides into 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**:

Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, 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; suspended 15 October 1999

Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status 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

Constitution and structure of government

Federal Government

Parliament: the legislative branch

The bicameral federal legislature consists of the Senate (upper house) and National Assembly (lower house). According to Article 50 of the Constitution, the National Assembly, the Senate and the President together make up a body known as the Majlis-i-Shoora (Council of Advisers).

Pakistan's democracy has no recall method. However, past governments have been dismissed for corruption by the President's invocation of Article 58 of the Constitution. The President's power to dismiss the Prime Minister and dissolve the National Assembly was removed by the Thirteenth Amendment and partially restored by the Seventeenth Amendment.

National Assembly

Members of the National Assembly are elected by universal adult suffrage (over eighteen years of age in Pakistan). Seats are allocated to each of the four provinces, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Islamabad Capital Territory on the basis of population. National Assembly members serve for the parliamentary term, which is five years, unless they die or resign sooner, or unless the National Assembly is dissolved. Although the vast majority of the members are Muslim, about 5 percent of the seats are reserved for minorities, including Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs. Elections for minority seats are held on the basis of separate electorates at the same time as the polls for Muslim seats during the general elections.

Senate

The Senate is a permanent legislative body with equal representation from each of the four provinces, elected by the members of their respective provincial assemblies. There are representatives from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and from Islamabad Capital Territory. The chairman of the Senate, under the constitution, is next in line to act as president should the office become vacant and until such time as a new president can be formally elected. Both the Senate and the National Assembly can initiate and pass legislation except for finance bills. Only the National Assembly can approve the federal budget and all finance bills. In the case of other bills, the president may prevent passage unless the legislature in joint sitting overrules the president by a majority of members of both houses present and voting. Unlike the National Assembly, the Senate cannot be dissolved by the President.

Executive branch

Prime Minister (Vazir-e-Azam) and Cabinet

The prime minister is appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly. The prime minister is assisted by the Federal Cabinet, a council of ministers whose members are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister. The Federal Cabinet comprises the ministers, ministers of state, and advisers. As of early 1994, there were thirty-three ministerial portfolios: commerce; communications; culture; defense; defense production; education; environment; finance and economic affairs; food and agriculture; foreign affairs; health; housing; information and broadcasting; interior; Kashmiri affairs and Northern Areas; law and justice; local government; minority affairs; narcotics control; parliamentary affairs; petroleum and natural resources production; planning and development; railroads; religious affairs; science and technology; social welfare; special education; sports; state and frontier regions; tourism; water and power; women's development; and youth affairs.

President (Sadr-e-Mumliqat)

The president, in keeping with the constitutional provision that the state religion is Islam, must be a Muslim. Elected for a five-year term by an Electoral College consisting of members of the Senate and National Assembly and members of the provincial assemblies, the president is eligible for reelection. But no individual may hold the office for more than two consecutive terms. The president may resign or be impeached and may be removed from office for incapacity or gross misconduct by a two-thirds vote of the members of the parliament. The president generally acts on the advice of the prime minister but has important residual powers. One of the most important--a legacy of Zia--is contained in the Eighth Amendment which gives the president the power to dissolve the National Assembly "in his discretion where, in his opinion . . . a situation has arisen in which the Government of the Federation cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and an appeal to the electorate is necessary." The Thirteenth Amendment which was passed in 1997, revoked this power. In December 2003, the President's power was partially restored by the Seventeenth Amendment. In April 2004, the Presidency's influence was augmented by an Act of Parliament that established the National Security Council, a body chaired by the President.

Other Federal Offices

Other offices and bodies having important roles in the federal structure include the attorney general, the auditor general, the Federal Land Commission, the Federal Public Service Commission, the Central Election Commission, and the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman).

Provincial governments

Each province has a Provincial Assembly, a directly-elected legislature. Members are elected for five-year terms. Each Assembly elects a Chief Minister, who then selects the ministers of his or her cabinet.

Local governments

Pakistan's provinces are divided into zillas ( counterpart to a county in US or UK terminology). A zilla is further subdivided into tehsils (roughly equivalent to a borough in an integrated multi-tier (federated) systemic context, such as the one to be found in Montreal (Canada, 2002) and Birmingham (UK, 2001 announcement) or known as arondissements in French context. Tehsils may contain villages or municipalities. Pakistan's system is the one that applies an integrated federated systemic framework most comprehensively, so far.

This methodology is not new to the region,as it is similar to what is referred to as the Panchayat Raj system in India that was introduced by Britain (which was first nation (1890s) to adapt revolutionary Paris (1790) framework to implement a 3-tier rural version (county, district, parish councils) by grafting the 2-tier Paris framework on pre-existing parish councils and urban context (London)) during colonial era. In India it was implemented in some regions and not others; and then allowed to lie fallow. It got new life after the very successful West Bengal revival in the 1970s, which eventually inspired the 1990s Constitutional Amendment making it national policy.

The main difference is that Pakistan is the only country with an urban framework, as well, in the region today; and Pakistan's system has common-representational framework between tiers (as Montreal and Birmingham also have in 2-tier context--even though Birmingham is working on implementing a 3- tier system); and, it has a bottom-up representational framework like the Canadian example. Pakistan had the only 3-tier integrated bottom-up common-representational local government system, until it was adapted for another country in 2003. UK, the country which first introduced this methodology in the region, also has the urban examples of London and Birmingham (being implemented in Post- 2001 era by building on steps first introduced in 1980s); as does France (where largest cities and smaller units have created such frameworks either by devolution (Marseilles and Lyon, in addition to Paris) or by integration of neighboring units (such as the Nantes region pursuant to the Marcellin Act of 1970s); and, Canada.

This methodology is being increasingly adapted, as it delivers greater systemic productivity, being a more inclusive framework that provides greater regional integration. In the US, the 7 county Twin Cities (MN) regional system and Portland (OR) Metro are both the most integrated US examples;but, also those often cited in the US for what they have achieved. These US examples- with their multi-county framework- are similar to what is in place in France after regional unit introduction (making France have a 3-tier systemic framework also in the Commune (municipal/lowest tier local unit), Department(county), Regional unit context). Multi-county frameworks are suitable for a very surburbanized system like the US. After France and Britain, the Indian colony of Britain was the third region to see this methodology implemented.

There are over five thousand local governments in Pakistan. Since 2001, the vast majority of these have been led by democratically elected local councils, each headed by a Nazim (mayor or supervisor.) Council elections are held every four years.

Judiciary

The judiciary includes the Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and other lesser courts exercising civil and criminal jurisdiction.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the president; the other Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president after consultation with the chief justice. The chief justice and judges of the Supreme Court may remain in office until age sixty-five.

Other Courts

Judges of the provincial high courts are appointed by the president after consultation with the chief justice of the Supreme Court, as well as the governor of the province and the chief justice of the high court to which the appointment is being made. High courts have original and appellate jurisdiction.

There is also a Federal Shariat Court consisting of eight Muslim judges, including a chief justice appointed by the president. Three of the judges are ulama, that is, Islamic Scholars, and are well versed in Islamic law. The Federal Shariat Court has original and appellate jurisdiction. This court decides whether any law is repugnant to the injunctions of Islam. When a law is deemed repugnant to Islam, the president, in the case of a federal law, or the governor, in the case of a provincial law, is charged with taking steps to bring the law into conformity with the injunctions of Islam. The court also hears appeals from decisions of criminal courts under laws relating to the enforcement of hudud (see Glossary) laws that is, laws pertaining to such offenses as intoxication, theft, and unlawful sexual intercourse.

In addition, there are special courts and tribunals to deal with specific kinds of cases, such as drug courts, commercial courts, labor courts, traffic courts, an insurance appellate tribunal, an income tax appellate tribunal, and special courts for bank offenses. There are also special courts to try terrorists. Appeals from special courts go to high courts except for labor and traffic courts, which have their own forums for appeal. Appeals from the tribunals go to the Supreme Court.

Mohtasib

A further feature of the judicial system is the office of Mohtasib (Ombudsman), which is provided for in the constitution. The office of Mohtasib was established in many early Muslim states to ensure that no wrongs were done to citizens. Appointed by the president, the Mohtasib holds office for four years; the term cannot be extended or renewed. The Mohtasib's purpose is to institutionalize a system for enforcing administrative accountability, through investigating and rectifying any injustice done to a person through maladministration by a federal agency or a federal government official. The Mohtasib is empowered to award compensation to those who have suffered loss or damage as a result of maladministration. Excluded from jurisdiction, however, are personal grievances or service matters of a public servant as well as matters relating to foreign affairs, national defense, and the armed services. This institution is designed to bridge the gap between administrator and citizen, to improve administrative processes and procedures, and to help curb misuse of discretionary powers.

Constitution

Main article: Constitution of Pakistan
Pakistan's Constitution may be amended by a vote of two-third of both houses of the Parliament of Pakistan

Constitutional amendments

Pakistan's many constitutional changes are reflected by the following key constitutional amendments:

Elections, politicians, and parties

head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz

head of state: President Pervez Musharraf

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister

Elections

President elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 October 2002. Following legislative elections, the majority party or majority coalition in the National Assemblys elects a prime minister.

Recent elections

Senate after February 2003 elections
Party Seats
PML/Q 40
PPPP 11
MMA 21
MQM/A 6
PML/N 4
NAP 3
PML/F 1
PkMAP 2
ANP 2
PPP/S 2
JWP 1
BNP-Awami 1
BNP-Mengal 1
BNM/H 1
Independents 4
   
   
National Assembly elections, October 2002
Party Seats
PML/Q 126
PPPP 81
MMA 63
PML/N 19
MQM/A 17
NAP 16
PML/F 5
PML/J 3
PPP/S 2
BNP 1
JWP 1
PAT 1
PML/Z 1
PTI 1
MQM/H 1
PkMAP 1
Independents 3

Political parties and leaders

Pakistan has a multi-party system, with numerous political parties. Often, no single party has a majority in Parliament or in the Provincial Assemblies, and parties must ally with others to form coalition governments. Listed here are the parties and their leaders.

Major parties

Coalitions/Groupings of parties

Parliamentary Groupings

Minor parties

Political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently.

See also List of political parties in Pakistan for a list of parties.

Political pressure groups and leaders

Military remains important political force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, labor unions, small merchants, and numerous civic organizations also influential.

International politics and foreign relations

Pakistan is a prominent member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and an active member of the United Nations. Its foreign policy encompasses historically difficult relations with India, a desire for a stable Afghanistan, long-standing close relations with the People's Republic of China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries.

India

Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been a dispute over the status of Kashmir. Recently, Pakistan's relations with India have improved, and there are plans to build Natural Gas pipelines through Pakistan from Iran and Turkmenistan to India.

Background

At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a Muslim majority. When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, some of his Muslim subjects, aided by tribesmen from Pakistan, revolted in favor of joining Pakistan. Pakistan then sent its regular troops to occupy Kashmir from the Western front. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. This resulted in the First Kashmir War which saw Indian troops controlling the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part came under Pakistani control.

The United Nations Security Council addressed this dispute, and the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir, but leaving the northern end of the line undemarcated and the vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed with resolutions which called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future.

A three-week war erupted in September 1965 and ceased three weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, Indian and Pakistani representatives met in Tashkent, and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of their differences.

Following Pakistan's defeat in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in Shimla, in July 1972. They agreed to a Line of Control in Kashmir and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages, and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of five years.

India's 1974 nuclear test generated great insecurity in Pakistan and gave impetus to Pakistan's nuclear weapons research program. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed in the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude desolate area close to the China border left undemarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949.

Bilateral relations worsened after the destruction of the Ayodhya Mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 resulted in deadlock.

Recent History

In the last several years, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. Unfortunately, in spring 1999 infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Bill Clinton in July. Relations between the two countries had since been particularly strained, especially since the October 12, 1999 coup in Islamabad. India has time and again, alleged that Pakistan provides monetary and material support to Kashmiri militants, a charge which Pakistan has always denied. The last few years have been particularly cantankerous in this regard, with India accusing Pakistan of abetting cross-border terrorism from its territory. Pakistan claims to provide only moral support to the fighters and maintains that the conflict is indigenous in nature. Hopes of peaceful resolution of issues through dialogue have met a stalemate a number of times over the issue.

On June 20, 2004, both countries agreed to extend a nuclear testing ban and to set up a hotline between their foreign secretaries aimed at preventing misunderstandings that might lead to a nuclear war. [3]

After the return to power of the Congress party in India, and the election of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, relations have improved sharply, and there are plans to build Natural Gas pipelines through Pakistan from Iran and Turkmenistan to India.

Afghanistan

Pakistan shares a long and porous border with Afghanistan (also called the Durand Line). The border is poorly marked. The problem is exacerbated by close relations between the fiercely-inependent Pashtun peoples who live on both sides of the border.

Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement. A large number of Afghans fled as refugees to Pakistan, forming the largest refugee population in the world. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans.

The overthrow of the Taliban regime and the rise of the Panjshiri-dominated Afghan Northern Alliance in November 2001 has seen somewhat strained relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Members of the administration in Kabul felt that remnants of the former Taliban government were being supported by ethnic Pashtuns within Pakistan, while the latter felt that Pashtuns were not fairly represented in the Afghan government. In 2004 these concerns faded after national elections which gave greater weight to Pashtuns in the government. Afghanistan now has fairly good relations with Pakistan.

A large share of Afghanistan's foreign trade is either with, or passes through, Pakistan.

Russian Federation and the former Soviet Union

Under military leader Ayub Khan, Pakistan sought to improve relations with the Soviet Union; trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries increased between 1966 and 1971, but a close Soviet-Indian relationship kept Pakistan from forming close ties with that country. Many Pakistanis believed that the August 1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Peace and Cooperation encouraged Indian belligerency in the 1971 war with India. Subsequent Soviet arms sales to India, amounting to billions of dollars on concessional terms, reinforced these feelings.

During the 1980s, Pakistan fought a proxy war with the Soviet Union, helping to organize political and material support for the Afghan rebel forces. Pakistan's relations with the Russian Federation have improved markedly in recent years.

People's Republic of China

In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to break relations with the Republic of China and recognize the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with the PRC became stronger; since then, the two countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in a variety of agreements. The PRC has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan.

Favorable relations with the PRC have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and the USSR.

Iran

Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared in the last decade. Pakistan and Iran supported opposing factions in the post-Soviet Afghan conflict. After the fall of the Taliban, in the words of the Pakistani Foreign Minister, the "sun is shining again" in the Pakistani-Iranian relationship. Pakistan pursues an active diplomatic relationship with Iran, and plans are underway to build a Natural Gas pipeline from Iran.

British Commonwealth

Pakistan has been a member of the Commonwealth since independence in 1947. It is the second-largest member by population. It was suspended after the 1999 coup, and reinstated with the backing of the United Kingdom and Australia after a formal acknowledgement of its return to democracy. Pakistan maintains diplomatic relations with all Commonwealth countries even though it does not have its own High Commission in each capital.

Persian Gulf and Arab states

The Pakistani government supported the coalition against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and sent 11,600 troops to help defend Saudi Arabia and expel the Iraqi troops from Kuwaiti territory. Pakistan did not, however, participate in the 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq. Pakistan provides military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area. With the largest expatriate population of any Muslim-majority nation, Pakistan has a large number of expatriates in the states of the greater Gulf region.

Pakistan has consisently supported the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Recently, however, there has been a diplomatic "engagement" with Israel, although Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has no official diplomatic relations.

United States

Origins, CENTO, SEATO and the Cold War

The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the two nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Gradually, relations improved and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program.

Anti-Soviet Alliance in the Afghan War

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2-billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. With U.S. assistance - in the largest covert operation in history - Pakistan armed and supplied anti-Soviet fighters (Mujahideen) in Afghanistan, leading to the eventual Soviet withdrawal in 1988.

U.S. Nuclear Sanctions

Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, the US Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the Pakistan and the United States agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988-93) $4-billion economic development and security assistance program. On 1 October 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device."

Nuclear Weapon Tests

India's decision to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The Kargil War in mid 1999 created fresh tensions in the Kashmir region. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance.

Post-9/11 alliance

Pakistan moved decisively to ally itself with the United States in its war against Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. It gave the U.S. a number of military airports and bases for its attack on Afghanistan. It has arrested over five hundred Al-Qaeda members and handed them over to the U.S. President Bush, senior cabinet officials, US intelligence heads, and CENTCOM commanders have been lavish in their praise of Pakistani efforts.

International organization participation

Pakistan participates extensively in the organizations of the United Nations and other international institutions. It is the largest contributor of troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions. It is a member or participant of: AsDB, Commonwealth of Nations, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO.

Other

Flag description

Main article: Flag of Pakistan

The Pakistani flag is green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and five-pointed star centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green traditionally symbolise Islam.

See also

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