Pakistan's political history has been marredby instability and deviations throughout its 69 years of history. In Pakistan, it is a struggle for the government just to complete its five year term without succumbing to its power-hungry army, civil-military conflicts, political corruption, and the periodic coup d'etats by the military establishment against weak civilian governments.
Nawaz Sharif- 7 June 2013: After the overwhelming election victory of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif was appointed as Prime Minister (PM) for a third term. While Nawaz Sharif's previous tenures were shaded by social conservatism, his third term is being credited to be socially centrist.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani- 25 March 2008: Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani was elected as the 16th PM of the country. He was ousted and disqualified as PM and a member of parliament by the SC on 19 June 2012 on grounds of being guilty of contempt for refusing to comply with a SC order to reopen dormant fraud investigations against President Asif Ali Zardari.
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali- 21 November 2002: Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali was sworn in as the 13th PM of the country. He signed a sudden resignation from the office after serving for only 2 year, on 26 June 2004. Reasons cited for the untimely resignation from the office were Jamali's strained relationship with Musharraf, who was serving as the President at the time, on the execution of government policies as well as the result of deteriorating relations with his party's president Shujaat Hussain who then served as interim PM.
Nawaz Sharif- 17 February 1997: The second term of Nawaz Sharif lasted for a very brief time as he was overthrown in a military coup on 12 Oct 1999. A controversial resignation of the Chief Justice, and President, conflict with the new army commander, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, and the controversial 13th amendment marked his tenure. Sharif was overthrown by Musharraf in a military coup d'etat and subsequently charged with hijacking and terrorism, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2000, he agreed to be exiled to Saudi Arabia for 10 years in exchange for having his jail sentence commuted.
In 2000, having agreed to leave Pakistan for 10 years, Sharif was released from prison and went into exile in Saudi Arabia.
Benazir Bhutto- 2 December 1988: Benazir Bhutto served as the 11th PM of Pakistan and became the first woman to head a Muslim majority country. Her tenure was marked with major political and economical instability and was dismissed by the President on 7th August 1990 on the grounds of nepotism and corruption. Bhutto once again led her party to the 1993 election win, and became PM on 19 October 1993. Her government was again dismissed by the President on grounds of corruption on 4th November 1996. Ahead of 2008 elections, Bhutto was shot during an election campaign.
Muhammad Khan Junejo- 23 March 1985: Elected as the 10th PM, Muhammad Khan Junejo served 3 years as the PM of Pakistan. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq dismissed the Junejo government in 1988 stating Article 58(2)B. The rift between the PM and the Chief of Army Staff started following an investigation into the Ojhri Camp disaster and the PM's decision to sign the Geneva Accords on Afghanistan. Khan was finally dismissed on 29 May 1988 from the office.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto- 20 December 1971: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto served as the 4th President and 9th PM of Pakistan. He was the founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and was appointed the first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator. His term as the PM ended on 5 July 1977, as chief of army staff General Zia-ul-Haq removed him from office in a bloodless coup. He was later controversially tried and executed by the Supreme Court in 1979 for authorizing the murder of a political opponent, Ahmad Raza Khan Kasuri.
Feroz Khan Noon- 16 December 1957: Serving as the 7th PM of an independent Pakistan, Feroz Khan Noon held many posts in government both before and after independence. He held his position till 7 October 1958 when Pakistan's first martial law was enforced by President Iskander Mirza.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy- 12 September 1956: Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy served as Pakistan's 5th PM. Within a year, the PM was entangled in a confrontation by the business community who sought a dismissal of Suhrawardy. The PM also has differences with President Iskander Mirza who wanted a stronger control over the democracy. President Mirza refused Suhrawardy's request to convene a meeting of Parliament for seeking a vote of confidence movement. After losing considerable party support, the PM resigned from the office on 17 October 1957.
Chaudhry Mohammad Ali- 12 August 1955: Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, the 4th PM of Pakistan was credited with introducing its 1956 Constitution. Rifts among his political party, the Muslim League led to the formation of The Republican Party. Ali resigned from both his political party and as the PM on 12 September 1956 amid growing political pressure and conflict.
Khawaja Nazimuddin- 17 October 1951: Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin served as Pakistan's 2nd PM after the assassination of Liaqat Ali Khan in 1951. The PM was asked to step down for the wider interest of the country in April 1953 following wide spread riots and communal violence . Though Nazimuddin contested the request, Governor-General Malik Ghulam used reserve powers granted in the Government of India Act, 1935, to dismiss the PM.
Liaquat Ali Khan- 15 August 1947: Acting as the 1st PM of independent Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan served during the penultimate times with several challenges infront of him. The PM was assassinated on 16 October 1951 during a public meeting of the Muslim City League. The accused was identified as Saad Akbar Babrak even as the motives remain unrevealed.
Though the founding fathers envisioned Pakistan as a democratic power, the country's reality has been plagued by instability and hostile takeovers. The actions of both civil and military leaders have exhaustively tried the Pakistani people and their struggle as a nation.
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