How the electoral system works in Pakistan

Pakistan goes to the polls on Thursday in a widely watched national election that will lead to the formation of a new government to lead the crisis-ridden South Asian nation for the next five years.

Here are some facts about how the electoral system works there:

• Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy and voting will take place for seats in the federal legislature, called the National Assembly, and four provincial, or state, legislatures.
• A total 128-million Pakistanis out of a population of 241-million are eligible to vote — all those above 18. Polling booths are open from 9am to 5pm usually, but time can be extended in exceptional individual circumstances.
• On election day, voters will cast their ballots for two legislators to represent their constituency — one federally and the other provincially. There are 5,121 candidates contesting for the federal legislature and 12,695 for the provinces.
• The National Assembly consists of 336 seats. A total of 266 are decided through direct voting on polling day, while 70 reserved seats — 60 for women and 10 for non-Muslims — are allotted according to the strength of each party in the house.
• Victorious candidates become members of the National Assembly. Independent candidates have the option to join any party after the elections.
• Once constituted, the National Assembly holds a parliamentary vote to select a leader of the house, who becomes the prime minister.
• A successful candidate must show a simple majority in the house — that is, the support of at least 169 members.
• Once a prime ministerial candidate wins the vote in the National Assembly, they are sworn in as prime minister. The new prime minister picks cabinet ministers, who form the federal government.
• A similar process is followed at the provincial level to pick a chief minister and a provincial government.

Reuters