A nationally representative sample of 8 percent of the Government of Pakistan's primary family planning service facilities, the Family Welfare Centres (FWC), was carried out at the request of the Ministry of Population Welfare in mid-1992. The "situation analysis" approach used involved: 1) observation and inventory of services, facilities, supplies and record keeping reviews; 2) observation of interaction between service providers and FP clients at FWC's; 3) interviews with service providers; and 4) exit interviews with FP clients after service provision. This one-day on-site observation by teams of three interviewers provided a unique overview and baseline assessment of the availability of services, the staff functioning and the quality of service. Significant findings include a low caseload, inadequacies of facilities, some stockouts, lack of educational materials, insufficient outreach, unnecessary medical and social barriers to providing contraception as well as in some cases insufficient information to clients about contraindications to contraceptive usage and possible side-effects. The need to bolster in-service training and supervision is emphasized.