‘Nine-day wonder’: No PM in Pakistan lasted full term

The shocking development on Sunday that the country was going into early elections was not a novel piece of news to reach the strained ears of those closely observing the fateful National Assembly session - a mere constant feature of the country's history had been repeated, albeit in a different manifestation.

In the country’s chequered history, the tenures of all subsequent prime ministers have been cut short prematurely by the presidents, army chiefs and the judiciary on various rationales and motives.

Mr Khan will become the 22nd prime minister of the country to fall short of completing days in office.

‘First one in the long list’

Pakistan’s first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, was murdered in Rawalpindi on October 16, 1951. He had assumed the charge of the premier on August 15, 1947and ruled for four years and two months — still the longest tenure for any prime minister.

He was assassinated at Rawalpindi’s Company Bagh during a public meeting of the League.

The site was rechristened Liaquat Bagh in his honour as his assassination remains an unresolved mystery, continuing to haunt his successors.

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Later, the second prime minister, Khawaja Nazimuddin, was sent home by Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad on April 17, 1953. Nazimuddin knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court where Justice Munir propounded the "doctrine of necessity" to validate Ghulam Muhammad’s act.

Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad appointed career diplomat Muhammad Ali Bogra the Prime Minister after Nazimuddin’s dismissal.

Two years later, when Ghulam Muhammad was abroad for treatment, acting Governor-General Iskander Mirza dismissed him as well as PM Bogra, dispatching the latter to the US as Pakistan’s ambassador.

Days in the office

Liaquat Ali Khan held the post for 4 years and 63 days, Nizamuddin 1 year and 182 days.
Similarly, Muhammad Ali Bogra could manage to occupy the office for 2 years and 117 days, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali for 1 year and 31 days, Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy for 1 year and 35 days.

‘Judicial murder’

Years later, in 1973, the country promulgated a new constitution, and on 14 August, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto became the prime minister.

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Bhutto was imprisoned in 1977 by General Zia-ul-Haq, who imposed martial law. Bhutto was later given a death sentence on murder charges by the Lahore High Court, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. He was hanged on 4 April 1979.

Bhutto’s period in the prime ministerial office lasted 3 years and 325 days.

During his daughter’s first tenure, Benazir Bhutto, the latter held on to premiership for 1 year and 247 days while Nawaz Sharif’s first tenure went on for 2 years 254 days.

Benazir’s second term lasted 3 years and 17 days, while Nawaz’s second term went on for 2 years and 237 days.

Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali remained the head of government for 216 days.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s Yousuf Raza Gilani held the post for 4 years and 86 days and Raja Pervez Ashraf for 275 days.

Nawaz, in his third term, managed to complete 4 years and 54 days while Imran only managed to complete 3 years and 235 days.