Pakistan's tryst with democracy
Since Pakistan emerged as a sovereign state in 1947, not a single prime minister has been allowed to complete his or her tenure
1951
Pakistan first prime minister,
Liaquat Ali Khan , is
assassinated in a gun attack at a rally in the city of Rawalpindi, triggering political instability
1958
President Iskander Mirza abolishes the Constitution and declares martial law, with army chief Gen Muhammad Ayub
Khan becoming administrator. Later, Gen Ayub forces Mirza to step down and declares himself president 1969: Ayub Khan hands over power to army chief Gen Yahya Khan
1970
East Pakistan-based Awami League wins general elections but Yahya Khan delays transfer of power, triggering the Pakistan civil war 1971: Pakistani troops surrender in East Pakistan after India intervenes in the civil war. East Pakistan becomes independent Bangladesh
1971-73
Yahya Khan resigns and hands over power to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who becomes prime minister in the newly adopted parliamentary system of government
1977
Army chief Gen Zia-ul-Haq seizes power
1979: The Supreme Court upholds Bhutto's disputed conviction for conspiring to commit a political murder. Zia rejects a mercy petition and Bhutto is hanged
1988
Gen Zia dies in a mysterious plane crash, Benazir Bhutto becomes Pakistan’s first woman prime minister
1990: Benazir Bhutto’s government is dismissed amid charges of corruption, Nawaz Sharif becomes prime minister
1993
President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismisses the Sharif government on corruption charges but the Supreme Court reinstates Sharif. After Sharif and Khan fail to reconcile, army chief Gen Waheed Kakar forces both to resign and Benazir Bhutto is voted back into power
1996
Bhutto’s government is dismissed over charges of corruption 1997: Sharif comes back into power and Bhutto goes into self-exile to avoid prosecution
1999
Army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf
ousts Sharif in a bloodless coup. Sharif is sent into exile
2002: Elections are held under Musharraf, Zafarullah Jamali becomes premier 2004: Shaukat Aziz named PM after Jamali resigns over differences with Musharraf
2007
Musharraf issues a national reconcilialaw tion after striking a deal with Bhutto that paves way for elections later in the year. Later that year, Musharraf imposes state of emergency and sacks top judiciary officials to pre-empt a court verdict against his presidency. In December, Bhutto is assassinated in Rawalpindi
2008
Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party emerges as winner and Yousuf Raza Gilani becomes premier. Musharraf resigns as president, is replaced by Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari 2012: Supreme Court disqualifies Gilani as PM for not complying with a court order to request a Swiss court reopen corruption cases against Zardari. Raja Pervez Ashraf named prime minister
2013
Sharif becomes prime minister for a third time
2017
Sharif is disqualified from office by the Supreme Court on corruption charges. Sharif confidant Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is sworn in as prime minister