A quick guide to Pakistan’s national elections

Pakistan elections: 128 million out of 241 million people eligible to vote.

Pakistan will vote in a closely watched national election on Thursday to form a new government to lead the crisis-plagued South Asian country for the next five years.

Here are some facts about how Pakistan’s electoral system works:

• Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy, with seats in the federal legislature (called the National Assembly) and four provincial or state legislatures up for grabs.
• 128 million Pakistanis out of a population of 241 million are eligible to vote – all of whom are 18 years or older. Polling stations are usually open from 9am to 5pm (0400 to 1200 GMT), but hours may be extended in exceptional circumstances.
• On Election Day, voters will vote for two MPs to represent their ridings – one federal and one provincial. A total of 5,121 candidates ran for membership in the federal legislature and 12,695 candidates ran for provincial seats.
• The National Assembly consists of 336 seats, 266 of which are decided by direct vote on polling day, while 70 reserved seats (60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims) are allocated based on the strength of the parties in the House of Representatives.
• The winning candidate becomes a member of the National Assembly. Independent candidates can choose to join any political party after the election.
• Once the National Assembly is formed, a parliamentary vote will be held to elect a leader of the House of Representatives, who will become Prime Minister.
• A successful candidate must obtain a simple majority in the House of Representatives, i.e. the support of at least 169 members.
• Once a candidate for prime minister wins a vote in the National Assembly, they are sworn in as prime minister. The new prime minister selects cabinet ministers to form the federal government.
• Similar procedures are followed at the provincial level to elect chief ministers and provincial governments.