Pakistan Prime Ministers: A history fraught with uncertainty

No Prime Minister of the country has finished a full 5-year-term in one sitting since the country's founding in 1947

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan stands at a precipice in his political career—he faces a mounting no-confidence vote even as he has lost the majority that his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf held in the National Assembly. And all the while, the Army has announced its neutrality in the country's political strife.

Though Khan remains adamant on not resigning, if he loses the vote, he will be adding to the list of leaders of the Islamic nation who never completed a full term since the country's founding in 1947. The time served by the country's leaders has varied wildly between a paltry 13 days to as much as 4 years.

Also read: Imran Khan says a 'powerful country' supporting India is angry with Pakistan for his Russia visit

With that in mind, here's a look at some of the past prime ministers of Pakistan, and contenders for the post if Imran Khan falls in the vote or resigns:

1. Liaquat Ali Khan

The Muslim League leader and Finance Minister was appointed the founding Prime Minister of the foundling country in 1947 by none other than Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He served for 4 years and 63 days from assuming office on August 14, but he was assassinated before he could complete his term.

2. Khawaja Nizamuddin

Another Muslim League leader, Nazimuddin took charge of the office after Liaquat Khan's assassination in 1951. He was sacked a little over a year and a half later when Governor-General Malik Ghulam Muhammad dissolved his government following widespread violence in the country as the aftermath of the language movement in the former East Bengal and religious riots in Lahore.

3. Mohammad Ali Bogra

Bogra took over the post of Prime Minister following Nazimuddin's dismissal in 1953. Previously a diplomat, Bogra had served in the United States, Canada and Burma. At home, Bogra pushed for improving relations with India under US pressure and jointly addressed the Kashmir issue with Jawaharlal Nehru, but held a staunch anti-Soviet perspective - a perspective he did not share with China. He was forced to resign following confrontations with acting Governor-General Iskander Mirza in 1955, having served for 2 years and 117 days.

4. Chaudhry Muhammad Ali

Born in Punjab in 1905, Muhammad Ali was appointed Prime Minister by Iskander Mirza after Bogra's dismissal in 1955. Like his predecessors, Ali had placed a priority on creating a constitution for the country, and was a supporter of Bogra's One Unit, and it was during his term that Pakistan promulgated the first set of its Constitution, becoming an Islamic republic. However, in 1956, he was defeated in a successful no-confidence motion, ending his term of 1 year and 31 days.

5. Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy

Suhrawardy could be considered one of the unluckiest prime ministers in Pakistan's history, as both British India and later Pakistan saw widespread violence and coups. He began his leadership career as the premier of Bengal province in 1946, having led the Bengal Provincial Muslim League (BPML) to a decisive victory in the legislative elections. His tenure saw the outbreak of the brutal Direct Action Day, which is widely seen as the final nail in Hindu-Muslim relations in British India.

He was eventually named PM of Pakistan in 1956 after Muhammad Ali was removed from the seat - though his luck as a leader ran out here too as he was forced to resign by Mirza in 1957, and was subsequently arrested when the military coup began in 1958.

6. Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar

One of the shortest-serving PMs of Pakistan, Chundrigar was asked to serve as PM by Mirza, and he formed his government on October 18, 1957, with the help of the Republican Party, the Krishak Sramik Party and the Nizam-i-Islam Party. However, he was forced to resign merely 60 days later under allegations of running a "weak government" and a successful no-confidence vote.

7. Feroze Khan Noon

Noon was invited to be the PM by President Iskander Mirza after Chundrigar's ouster in 1957, though the two quickly developed sour relations amid Mirza's attempts to take full control of the country. It culminated in the 1958 coup, in which Mirza sacked Khan, abrogated the Constitution and assumed total control of the country. Mirza himself was deposed by military General Ayub Khan. Noon's tenure lasted a total of nine months and 21 days.

8. Nurul Amin

After the general elections in 1971, Nurul Amin was invited to be PM under the administration of General Yahya Khan. He was in office for a mere 13 days, the shortest-serving PM of the country. However, he also served as the country's only Vice President under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

9. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto launched the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after leaving General Ayub’s cabinet.

His party won an overwhelming majority in West Pakistan in the general elections held in December 1970 but failed to reach an agreement with Sheikh Mujib’s Awami League that won most of the seats in East Pakistan. Following the 1971 war, Yahya Khan resigned and Bhutto took over as president and chief martial law administrator on December 20, 1971.

After the National Assembly passed the 1973 Constitution on August 14, Bhutto was sworn in as the Prime Minister of the country.

However, Bhutto was imprisoned by General Muhammad Zia-ul Haq, who imposed martial law on July 5, 1977. He served for 3 years, 10 months and 21 days, becoming the longest-serving PM of the country after Liqauat Khan.

10. Muhammad Khan Junejo

So far the only independent PM of the country, Junejo was elected after the non-party based elections in 1985. He was dismissed by president Zia-ul Haq, who used his discretionary powers under the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. He served for three years, two months and five days.

11. Benazir Bhutto

One of the longest-serving PMs of the country, Benazir Bhutto first came to power in December 1988 as the country's youngest prime minister and the first woman to lead a modern Muslim state. During her first term, she started the People’s Programme for economic uplift of the masses and lifted the ban on student and trade unions.

However, her government was dismissed by Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990 due to accusations of corruption and nepotism and became the Leader of the Opposition in a "rigged" election in which Nawaz Sharif became the PM.

She returned to power in 1993, and oversaw economic privatisation and attempts to advance women's rights. Her government was, however, damaged by several controversies, including the assassination of her brother Murtaza, a failed 1995 coup, and a bribery scandal involving her and her husband Asif Ali Zardari - resulting in President Farooq Leghari dismissing her government. She served as PM for a total of four years, eight months and seven days, making her one of the longest-serving PMs.

12. Nawaz Sharif

Effectively the longest-serving PM of the country, Nawaz Sharif came to power in 1990 after Benzair Bhutto's government was dissolved and a election that took place in its wake.

Sharif first came to national prominence when he was brought into the Punjab government during the early days of General Zia's martial law, serving as finance minister and then chief minister. Sharif's first government was dissolved by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan April 1993, though it was reinstated by the Supreme Court. He eventually resigned from the post in July, negotiating a settlement that resulted in the removal of President as well.

He went on to become the PM again in 1997 with a comfortable majority and brought about a series of changes which were seen as part of an attempt to stifle the opposition. His government was deposed by General Pervez Musharraf in October 1999, and Martial law was imposed in the entire country.

He returned to power a third time in June 2013, winning another clear majority. However, he was disqualified in July 2017 by the Supreme Court of Pakistan as a result of the Panama Papers case. In total, Sharif served as the PM for over 9 years.

13. Shaukat Aziz

A former banker and financier, Aziz became the PM in 2004. During his time, he personally oversaw intensified privatisation and economic liberalisation programmes, and it was during his term that the country met all goals and revenue collection targets. Though he served for three years as the PM, he became the first one to serve till the end of a parliamentary term, and at the succession of caretaker PM Muhammadmian Soomro, President General Pervez Musharraf said it was the smoothest government transition in the country's history.

14. Yousaf Raza Gillani

Holding the distinction of being the first and so far only Pakistan PM to present 5 consecutive budgets, Gillani was elected PM in 2008, in which his party formed a four-party coalition. During his term, Gillani announced the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, rehabilitation of the tribal belt, and promised to reduce the budget deficit, also improve education in the country. Gillani was ranked 38th in the Forbes most powerful persons list in 2009, but he was disqualified and ousted in 2012 for contempt of court.

15. Imran Khan

The cricketer-turned-politican turned many heads when he ran for elections in 2018 under his party PTI, which won 156 seats in the national Assembly. He went on to creating a coalition government of 177 members including PTI, MQM, BAP, and others and became the PM. He currently faces a no-confidence motion and suffers from a lost majority in the Assembly.

Contenders for PM's seat:

1. Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan’s former premier Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz said that PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif will be the party's candidate to replace Prime Minister Imran Khan if the no-trust motion is passed in Parliament, a media report said.

Maryam, who is the vice-president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said that the Opposition will "sit and decide" on the appointment of the next candidate for prime minister but her party would nominate Shehbaz, The Express Tribune reported.

2. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Pakistan Peoples' Party chairman and Benazir Bhutto's son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that there is no safe passage for Imran Khan, accusing him of running away from the no-confidence motion. "Only Imran's resignation is the honourable exit for him. I suggest him do so," he said.

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