GENERAL ELECTION – 2013, PAKISTAN

 The National and Provincial Assemblies have completed its constitutional term on March 16, 2013, five years after the first session of the National Assemblies elected during the 2008 general election.

The Government of Pakistan has therefore, announced elections to be held on 11 May, 2013 for the 14th parliament of Pakistan. In the general election, voting will take place in all parliamentary constituencies of Pakistan, to elect Members to seats in the National Assembly, and to the four Provincial Assemblies (Punjab ,Sindh , Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. This will be the 11th general election for Pakistan since 1962. The Election Commission of Pakistan has put final touches to its preparations for the upcoming general elections. And one of those tasks was to procure over 500,000 ballot boxes and all relevant materials. The commission has also decided to employ the services of retired judges of the high court as permanent election tribunals in order to expedite the disposal of election-related cases.

This election will mark an end to the third PPP led government and the only democratic government to finish its term. 85.04 million registered voters in the country will elect close to 1000 members of the National and Provincial assemblies of Pakistan, who will further elect the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the national level and the Chief Ministers at the provincial level.

During general elections, a political party must secure 172 seats (51% of total seats) in the National Assembly of Pakistan to obtain a majority.