Pakistan was created in 1947 as a separate homeland for Muslims of British India, following the Pakistan Movement led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the All India Muslim League¹. Pakistan consisted of two wings, East and West Pakistan, separated by about 1,600 km of Indian territory. The country faced many challenges in its early years, such as the Kashmir conflict with India, the refugee crisis, the language controversy, and the lack of a constitution.


In 1956, Pakistan adopted its first constitution, which declared it an Islamic republic and made Iskander Mirza the first president⁴. However, the constitution was abrogated in 1958 by General Ayub Khan, who imposed martial law and became the second president. Khan introduced a new constitution in 1962, which established a presidential system and a basic democracy. He also initiated economic and social reforms, but faced opposition from political parties and civil society.


In 1969, Khan resigned and handed over power to General Yahya Khan, who lifted martial law and announced general elections for 1970. The elections resulted in a landslide victory for the Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in East Pakistan, and the Pakistan Peoples Party led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in West Pakistan. However, Yahya Khan refused to transfer power to Mujibur Rahman, triggering a civil war in East Pakistan. With the intervention of India, East Pakistan seceded and became Bangladesh in 1971.banner



Yahya Khan was replaced by Bhutto, who became the third president and later the prime minister of Pakistan. He promulgated a new constitution in 1973, which restored parliamentary democracy and federalism. He also pursued a socialist agenda and a nuclear program, but faced criticism for his authoritarian style and economic mismanagement.


In 1977, Bhutto was ousted by General Zia-ul-Haq, who imposed martial law and became the fourth president. Zia-ul-Haq executed Bhutto in 1979 on charges of murder and corruption. He also introduced Islamic laws and policies, such as the Hudood Ordinances and the Zakat system. He supported the Afghan mujahideen against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, with the help of the United States and Saudi Arabia. He also conducted a covert nuclear test in 1984.


In 1985, Zia-ul-Haq lifted martial law and held non-party elections, which were won by his loyalists. He appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the prime minister, but dismissed him in 1988 for challenging his authority. Zia-ul-Haq died in a plane crash later that year, ending his 11-year rule.


In 1988, free and fair elections were held for the first time in Pakistan's history, which were won by the PPP led by Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She became the first female prime minister of Pakistan and of any Muslim country. She faced many difficulties in governing the country, such as ethnic violence, sectarian clashes, economic crisis, and political instability. She was dismissed by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990 on charges of corruption and incompetence.


In 1990, elections were held again, which were won by the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), a coalition of conservative parties led by Nawaz Sharif. He became the prime minister and pursued a pro-business and pro-Islamic agenda. He also tried to assert civilian supremacy over the military establishment but faced resistance from President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Army Chief General Aslam Beg. He was dismissed by President Khan in 1993 on similar charges as Benazir Bhutto.


In 1993, elections were held again, which were won by the PPP led by Benazir Bhutto. She became the prime minister for the second time and tried to improve relations with India and address social issues such as poverty and education. However, she also faced allegations of corruption and nepotism involving her husband Asif Ali Zardari. She was dismissed by President Farooq Leghari in 1996 on charges of corruption and misrule.


In 1997, Nawaz Sharif became the prime minister for the second time after his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), won the general election. He pursued a pro-business and pro-Islamic agenda, and also tried to improve relations with India. In 1998, Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in response to India's tests, triggering international sanctions and a nuclear standoff. In 1999, Sharif was overthrown by General Pervez Musharraf in a military coup, after a failed attempt to dismiss him as the army chief.


Musharraf became the chief executive and later the president of Pakistan. He suspended the constitution and declared a state of emergency. He also launched a crackdown on Islamist militants and joined the US-led war on terror after the 9/11 attacks. He faced opposition from political parties, civil society, and the judiciary, especially after he sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in 2007. He also faced a challenge from Benazir Bhutto, who returned from exile to lead the PPP in the 2008 general election. However, Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack in December 2007.


In 2008, Musharraf lifted the state of emergency and restored the constitution. He also allowed free and fair elections, which were won by the PPP led by Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's widower. Zardari became the president and appointed Yousaf Raza Gillani as the prime minister. The PPP formed a coalition government with the PML-N and other parties. The coalition faced many problems, such as terrorism, economic crisis, energy shortage, and floods. It also faced pressure from the military and the judiciary, which forced Musharraf to resign in 2008 and Gillani to step down in 2012.


In 2013, Pakistan achieved its first democratic transition of power, as the PML-N won the general election and Nawaz Sharif became the prime minister for the third time. Sharif tried to revive the economy, end load-shedding, build infrastructure projects, and negotiate with the Taliban. He also tried to improve relations with India and Afghanistan, but faced tensions with both countries over border issues and terrorism. He also faced resistance from the military and the opposition parties, especially Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which staged a long sit-in protest in Islamabad in 2014.


In 2017, Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court from holding public office on charges of corruption and dishonesty stemming from the Panama Papers leak. He was replaced by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the prime minister. Sharif also faced criminal cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which sentenced him to prison in 2018. He was released on bail later that year on medical grounds.


In 2018, Imran Khan became the prime minister after his party, PTI, won the general election with a thin majority. Khan formed a coalition government with several smaller parties and independent candidates. He promised to bring a new Pakistan based on justice, accountability, and welfare. He also vowed to end corruption, poverty, illiteracy, and extremism. He faced many challenges, such as a balance-of-payments crisis that forced him to seek loans from China, Saudi Arabia, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He also faced a hostile India that revoked Kashmir's autonomy in 2019 and conducted air strikes on Pakistani territory.


In 2020, Pakistan faced the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely affected its health system and economy. Prime Minister Imran Khan faced criticism for his handling of the crisis, as well as for his controversial remarks on rape and women's rights. He also faced pressure from the opposition parties, which formed an alliance called the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and launched a series of anti-government rallies across the country. The PDM demanded Khan's resignation and fresh elections, accusing him of rigging the 2018 polls with the support of the military.


In 2021, Khan survived a vote of confidence in the parliament after his coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), withdrew its support. He also reshuffled his cabinet and appointed Shaukat Tarin as the new finance minister, the fourth one in his tenure. Khan tried to revive the economy by implementing reforms under an IMF bailout program, but faced challenges such as inflation, unemployment, debt, and energy crisis. He also faced a diplomatic setback when Saudi Arabia asked Pakistan to repay a $3 billion loan.


In 2022, Pakistan witnessed a surge in violence and terrorism, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for several attacks on security forces and civilians, including a suicide bombing at a mosque that killed 31 people. The TTP also rejected Khan's offer of peace talks and demanded the implementation of Sharia law in Pakistan. Khan also faced tensions with India over Kashmir and Afghanistan over border security and refugee issues.


In 2023, Pakistan entered a political crisis after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delayed the provincial elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which were dissolved by Khan's party in 2021. The ECP cited security concerns and logistical issues as the reasons for the delay, but Khan accused it of being biased and influenced by the opposition parties. He also accused the Supreme Court of interfering in the electoral process by taking suo-moto notice of the matter. The opposition parties staged protests and demanded Khan's resignation and early national elections.


The crisis escalated when Khan's supporters clashed with the police and tried to storm the ECP headquarters in Islamabad. The police used tear gas and batons to disperse them, resulting in several injuries. The military intervened and deployed troops to restore law and order in the capital. The military also mediated between Khan and the opposition leaders, and urged them to resolve their differences through dialogue and constitutional means. The crisis was defused after Khan agreed to hold the provincial elections by October 2023, and the opposition agreed to call off their protests.