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As Shehbaz Sharif government completes term, a history of past Pakistani PM's tenures

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif leaves after a group photo with lawmakers of the National Assembly at the end of the last session of the current parliament, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on August 9, 2023. (AP)
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Updated 10 August 2023
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As Shehbaz Sharif government completes term, a history of past Pakistani PM's tenures

  • Pakistan, a parliamentary democracy for most of its history, has had a total of 30 prime ministers since 1947
  • When Imran Khan was ousted last April, he was one in a long line of Pakistani PMs sent home before their time
Updated 10 August 2023
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: When Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a no-confidence vote in parliament last April, he was one in a long line of Pakistani premiers who went home before their time.

In fact, no prime minister had at that point completed a full five-year tenure in Pakistan’s 75-year history. Today, with the assemblies dissolved, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was voted in by parliament on April 12 days after Khan's ouster, became the first Pakistani PM to complete his term, albeit a shorter one of just 16 months.

Pakistan, a parliamentary democracy for most of its history, has had a total of 30 prime ministers since 1947 - one of whom took on the role twice in one year.

On 18 occasions, they have been removed on different pretexts, including corruption charges, direct military coups and forced resignations due to infighting in ruling groups. There was one assassination.

The remaining premiers held the position for a limited time as caretakers to oversee fresh elections or to see out a dismissed premier’s tenure.

The year 1993 was particularly fraught, with five changes in the premiership.

The shortest tenure for a prime minister is two weeks, while the longest is four years and two months.

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has been elected prime minister three times - in 1990, 1997 and 2013 - the most for a single candidate.

Following is a list of prime ministers whose tenures ended prematurely since 1947. It does not include caretaker premiers or those who completed another prime minister’s term:

  • Liaquat Ali Khan

Pakistan’s first prime minister. Took office in August 1947. He was assassinated at a political rally on Oct. 16, 1951.

Tenure: Four years and two months.

  • Khawaja Nazimuddin

Took office on Oct. 17, 1951. He was dismissed on April 17, 1953, by the country’s governor general - a powerful position inherited from British colonial rule - on charges of mismanaging religious riots.

Tenure: One year and six months.

  • Muhammad Ali Bogra

Took office April 17, 1953. Resigned on Aug. 11, 1955.

Tenure: Two years and three months.

  • Chaudhri Mohammad Ali

Took office in August 1955. Internal differences in the ruling party led to his ouster on Sept. 12, 1956.

Tenure: One year and one month.

  • Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy

Took office on Sept. 12, 1956. Forced from office after differences with other power centres on Oct. 18, 1957.

Tenure: One year and one month.

  • Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar

Took office in October 1957. Resigned on Dec. 16, 1957, faced with a no-confidence vote in parliament.

Tenure: Less than two months.

  • Malik Feroz Khan Noon

Took office Dec. 16, 1957. Dismissed due to the imposition of martial law in Pakistan on Oct. 7, 1958.

Tenure: Less than 10 months.

  • Noorul Amin

Took office Dec. 7, 1971. Left office on Dec. 20, 1971, shortly after the secession of Bangladesh from Pakistan.

Tenure: Less than two weeks.

  • Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Took office on Aug. 14, 1973. He was overthrown by a military coup on July 5, 1977, and eventually jailed and executed.

Tenure: Three years and 11 months.

  • Muhammad Khan Junejo

Took office in March 1985. He was dismissed on May 29, 1988, by the military chief who was also the president.

Tenure: Three years and two months.

  • Benazir Bhutto

Daughter of slain premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the first woman leader of a Muslim nation. Took office on Dec. 2, 1988. Her government was dismissed on Aug. 6, 1990, by the president, a close aid of the deceased military ruler, on charges of corruption.

Tenure: One year and eight months.

It would be the first of three governments dismissed on similar charges using the sweeping powers of the president.

  • Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif

Took office Nov. 6, 1990. His government was also dismissed by the president on similar charges as Bhutto on April 18, 1993.

He was able to get the decision overturned by the courts a few weeks later and returned to office, but resigned again after differences with the military.

Total tenure: Two years and seven months.

  • Benazir Bhutto

Returned to power for her second tenure in Oct. 19, 1993. Was dismissed by the president once again on charges of misgovernance on Nov. 5, 1996.

Tenure: Just over three years.

  • Nawaz Sharif

Came to power a second time on Feb. 17, 1997. Overthrown by a military coup - the third in Pakistan’s history - on Oct. 12, 1999.

Tenure: Two years and eight months.

  • Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali

Elected prime minister during military rule in November 2002. He resigned after differences with the military on June 26, 2004.

Tenure: One year and seven months.

  • Yousaf Raza Gilani

Elected prime minister on March 25, 2008. He was disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2012 on charges of “contempt of court”.

Tenure: Four years and one month.

  • Nawaz Sharif

Elected prime minister for a third time on June 5, 2013. He was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on charges of concealing assets on July 28, 2017.

Tenure: Four years and two months.

  • Imran Khan

Elected as prime minister on Aug. 18, 2018. Voted out of power via a no-confidence motion by the opposition on April 10, 2022.

Tenure: Three years and seven months.

  • Shehbaz Sharif

Elected as prime minister on April 12, 2022. Stepped down after completing term on August 12. 

Tenure: One year and four months.

With inputs from Reuters 

Topics: Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif

PM Sharif, Saudi crown prince discuss bilateral ties and regional situation in Riyadh

Updated 8 sec ago
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PM Sharif, Saudi crown prince discuss bilateral ties and regional situation in Riyadh

  • PM Sharif attends Special Dialogue and Gala Dinner hosted by Saudi crown prince in Riyadh
  • Sharif is in Riyadh to attend two-day World Economic Forum meeting, engage with world leaders 
Updated 8 sec ago
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Sunday evening during which the two leaders discussed bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the regional situation and Israel’s war on Gaza, Sharif’s office said in a statement. 

Sharif, who arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to attend a two-day special meeting of the World Economic Forum, attended a Special Dialogue and Gala Dinner hosted by the Saudi crown prince in Riyadh. Sharif congratulated the Saudi crown prince for successfully organizing the WEF Special Meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. 

“The Prime Minister conveyed his prayers and good wishes for the health, happiness and long life of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,” the PMO said. “In addition to bilateral ties, the regional situation, particularly with regards to the crisis in Gaza, was also discussed.”

Sharif thanked the Saudi crown prince for sending a high-powered delegation, headed by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Minister Faisal bin Farhan, to Pakistan earlier this month. The delegation held key meetings with Pakistani ministers and businesspersons to enhance economic cooperation between the Kingdom and the South Asian country. 

“To continue the discussion, the Prime Minister said that he has brought with him a high-powered delegation to Riyadh, including key Ministers responsible for investment, so that follow-up meetings could take place between relevant officials,” the PMO said. 

Sharif reiterated his invitation to the Saudi crown prince to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience, the PMO added. 

Separately, Sharif met Saudi Arabia’s ministers of finance, investment and industry on Sunday at the sidelines of the WEF meeting. In his meeting with the Saudi finance minister, the two sides agreed that Saudi Arabia would explore more opportunities for investment in Pakistan.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan reiterated the Kingdom’s support for Pakistan’s economic development, Sharif’s office had said in a statement. 

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top source of remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been closely working to increase their bilateral trade and investment, and the Kingdom recently reaffirmed its commitment to expedite an investment package worth $5 billion discussed previously with Islamabad.

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Ties #WEF Riyadh Arab News Pakistan

Gunmen kill two laborers from Punjab province in southwest Pakistan — official

Updated 24 min 10 sec ago
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Gunmen kill two laborers from Punjab province in southwest Pakistan — official

  • The two laborers were working inside a garage in Tump area of Balochistan's Kech district when they came under attack
  • No group immediately claimed responsibility, but Baloch separatists have previously targeted people from other provinces
Updated 24 min 10 sec ago
Saadullah Akhtar

ISLAMABAD: Unidentified gunmen on Sunday shot dead two laborers, who hailed from the eastern Punjab province, in the country's restive Balochistan province, a local official said.

The two laborers were working inside a garage in Tump area of Balochistan's Kech district when they came under fire by gunmen riding motorbikes, according to Saeed Umrani, commissioner of Makran Division where Kech is located.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Baloch separatists have previously targeted people from other provinces on suspicion of spying for state agencies.

"Both laborers, who were residents of the Punjab province, were killed on the spot," the official said.

Umrani said bodies of the deceased had been sent to their hometowns and the district administration was hunting for the perpetrators.

The attack came two weeks after armed men abducted nine passengers, who hailed from Punjab, from a bus and killed them near Balochistan's Noshki district.

The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had information that plain-clothed spies were on the bus. The group offered no evidence to support its claim.

Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency by separatist militants who seek independence from the central government in Islamabad.

Although the government says it has quelled the insurgency, violence has continued to persist in the province.

Topics: Pakistan

Pakistan PM, Kuwaiti emir discuss transformation of bilateral ties into economic partnership

Updated 28 April 2024
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Pakistan PM, Kuwaiti emir discuss transformation of bilateral ties into economic partnership

  • The meeting came on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum summit in Riyadh
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif assured of efficient implementation of Pakistan-Kuwait deals signed in Nov.
Updated 28 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in Riyadh and discussed with him transformation of Pakistan-Kuwait ties into an economic partnership, Sharif’s office said.
The meeting came on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit on global collaboration, growth and energy on April 28-29.
PM Sharif thanked Sheikh Mishal for his congratulatory letter upon his re-election and congratulated him on assuming the role of the emir of Kuwait.
“The Prime Minister expressed his desire to work closely with His Highness to transform bilateral ties into a mutually beneficial economic partnership that would serve the best interests of the peoples of both countries,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
The development came months after Pakistan and Kuwait signed several trade and investment agreements worth $10 billion during the visit of caretaker Pakistan PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to the Gulf country.
Besides these agreements, the two countries had signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of culture, environment and sustainable development.
Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, had also accompanied the caretaker prime minister on the Kuwait visit in November, which was part of the Pakistani leadership’s ambitious plan to attract investment from the Middle East amid an economic slowdown at home.
“The Prime Minister assured the Kuwaiti leadership that these MoUs and agreements would be implemented in an efficient and timely manner,” the statement added.
“In addition to bilateral ties, the regional situation, particularly with regards to the crisis in Gaza, was also discussed.”

Topics: World Economic Forum (WEF) WEF2024 Pakistan Kuwait ties

PM Sharif, IMF chief discuss Pakistan’s new loan program on WEF sidelines in Riyadh

Updated 28 April 2024
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PM Sharif, IMF chief discuss Pakistan’s new loan program on WEF sidelines in Riyadh

  • Pakistan’s $3 billion IMF loan program, which helped Islamabad avert a default last year, is due to end this month
  • Pakistan faces a chronic balance of payments crisis, with nearly $24 billion to repay in debt over next fiscal year
Updated 28 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Riyadh, where the two figures discussed a new loan program for the cash-strapped South Asian country, Sharif’s office said.
The meeting between PM Sharif and the IMF managing director took place on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit on global collaboration, growth and energy in the Saudi capital on April 28-29.
Sharif thanked Georgieva for her support to Pakistan in securing a $3 billion IMF loan program last year that is due to expire this month. The IMF executive board is expected to meet on Monday to decide on the disbursement of the final tranche of $1.1 billion to Pakistan.
“MD IMF shared her institution’s perspective on the ongoing program with Pakistan, including the review process,” PM Sharif’s office said in a statement.
“Both sides also discussed Pakistan entering into another IMF program to ensure that the gains made in the past year are consolidated and its economic growth trajectory remains positive.”
Sharif informed the IMF chief that his government was fully committed to put Pakistan’s economy back on track, according to the statement.
He said he had directed his financial team, led by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, to carry out structural reforms, ensure strict fiscal discipline and pursue prudent policies that would ensure macro-economic stability and sustained economic growth.
Pakistan secured the $3 billion IMF program in June last year, which helped it avert a sovereign default. Islamabad says it is seeking a loan over at least three years to help achieve macroeconomic stability and execute long-overdue reforms.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb has said Islamabad could secure a staff-level agreement on the new program by early July, though he has declined to detail what size of the program it seeks. If secured, it would be Pakistan’s 24th IMF bailout.
The $350 billion South Asian economy faces a chronic balance of payments crisis, with nearly $24 billion to repay in debt and interest over the next fiscal year — three-time more than its central bank’s foreign currency reserves.
Pakistan’s finance ministry expects the economy to grow by 2.6 percent in the fiscal year ending in June, while average inflation for the year is projected to stand at 24 percent, down from 29.2 percent the previous fiscal year.

Topics: Pakistan IMF Talks World Economic Forum WEF2024

Saudi ministers assure PM Sharif of support for Pakistan’s development — PM’s office

Updated 28 April 2024
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Saudi ministers assure PM Sharif of support for Pakistan’s development — PM’s office

  • PM Shehbaz Sharif is in Riyadh to attend WEF meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy
  • On Sunday, he met with Saudi Arabia’s minister of finance, investment, and industry and minerals
Updated 28 April 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met with Saudi Arabia’s ministers of finance, investment and industry in Riyadh on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting, Sharif’s office said, adding that the Saudi ministers assured him of the Kingdom’s support for Pakistan’s development.

The Pakistan prime minister arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to attend the WEF meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy on April 28-29, after being extended an invitation by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Professor Klaus Schwab, the WEF executive chairman.

On the sidelines of the WEF meeting, Sharif held separate meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih, and Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Alkhorayef, according to the Pakistan PM’s office.

In his meeting with the Saudi finance minister, the two sides agreed that Saudi Arabia would explore more opportunities for investment in Pakistan.

“The Saudi finance minister reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for Pakistan’s economic development,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.

Saudi Minister for Finance Mohammad Al Jadaan (2R) along with his team meets Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) on the sidelines of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on April 28, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PMO)

The Saudi investment minister acknowledged PM Sharif’s efforts for Pakistan’s growth and prosperity.

“A delegation of Saudi investors will soon visit Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying by Sharif’s office.

“Pakistan is our priority in terms of investment. Both sides will continue to fully cooperate in agriculture, information technology (IT) and energy sector.”

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top source of remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been closely working to increase their bilateral trade and investment, and the Kingdom recently reaffirmed its commitment to expedite an investment package worth $5 billion discussed previously with Islamabad.

In his meeting with the prime minister, Saudi Arabia’s Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Alkhorayef expressed “deep interest” in cooperation with Pakistan in agriculture, minerals, IT and other sectors, according to Sharif’s office.

“I am in touch with Saudi private companies regarding investment in Pakistan and [representatives of] these companies will visit Pakistan very soon,” the Saudi minister was quoted as telling PM Sharif.

“Cooperation between private sectors of the two countries is among our top priorities.”

PM Sharif thanked Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well as the Saudi ministers for supporting Pakistan in every difficulty.

“During my previous government, our economic situation improved, thanks to Saudi Arabia’s support and assistance,” he said, describing both countries as strategic partners.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and other members of PM Sharif’s cabinet were also present at the meetings.

Topics: World Economic Forum WEF2024 Pakistan Saudi Ties

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