A decade of democracy in Pakistan

The early five decades of the political history of the country have been marked by continual coups staged by army generals, but 2008 became a turning point for democracy of Pakistan when Asif Ali Zardari created a history by becoming the first democratically elected president to complete his full tenure, and later handing over the mantle to another elected leader in 2013. In the last decade, the country has remained peaceful by undertaking a sustained campaign against terror groups

We take a look at the prominent political leaders who have shaped the course of politics in the last decade and set our sights on the individuals who could shape the march of democracy in the next decade

Imran Khan

Cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan is the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan and the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Before entering politics, Khan was an international cricketer and has been the captain of the national team. He led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup. After retirement from cricket, Khan started philanthropy work and established two cancer hospitals.

In 1996, Khan founded a political party PTI and got involved in active politics. He was elected prime minister in August 2018. Imran considers corruption as the biggest problem of the country and in his public addresses, he has repeatedly expressed his resolve to act against corruption and evolve ‘one Pakistan’ for the rich and the poor alike.

He has launched poverty eradication porgramme, Ehsas, aimed at providing easy interest-free loans to the youths, monetary support to needy families and free health initiatives for poor families.

Asif Ali Zardari

Asif Ali Zardari is the president of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians and co-chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party. He served as the 11th president of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. He is the member of National Assembly since August 2018.

During his tenure as president, despite several economic and security challenges, the parliament was strengthened, several key laws were passed, especially rights-based legislations strengthening fundamental rights in the country, providing for an independent judiciary and independent election commission.

Zardari is credited with strengthening the federation and stabilising democracy in Pakistan. Through the 18th Amendment, the parliamentary form of government was restored and several packages for the regions, including Fata reforms, Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan, and the National Finance Commission Award, and the Gilgit Baltistan autonomy, will be remembered as mechanisms to strengthen the federation.

Nawaz Sharif

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is a businessman and politician who served as the prime minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. Sharif created history by getting elected for the record third time. But he never completed his full term. He was the longest-serving prime minister of Pakistan having served a total of more than 9 years. He served until July 28, 2107 when Supreme Court disqualified him from holding any public office.

When Sharif came to power, Pakistan was facing acute power shortage with long hours of load-shedding. He immediately launched different energy projects to overcome the power crisis.

Sharif worked with the military to eliminate terrorism in northwestern areas, which was worse when he came to power.

Sharif enjoyed close relations with countries that matter the most to Pakistan in terms of economy — Saudi Arabia and China.

Shahbaz Sharif

Shahbaz Sharif served the longest tenure in the history as chief minister of Punjab, spanning over 11 years of rule. His tenures involved 1997 Nawaz government, 2008 Pakistan Peoples Party’s regime and 2013 PML-N’s rule. Shahbaz Sharif is the current Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.

His prominent contribution involves infrastructure development, transit projects and power plants. He has developed flyovers, road infrastructures, transit services and power projects. He is best known for his dedication, working speed, ability to execute mega projects and his quick actions. His vision in transit system resulted in introduction of Lahore Metro, Multan Metrobus, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus and Orange Line (Lahore Metro), and construction of several flyovers and road projects in larger cities, especially Lahore. His main work in education includes Danish School, Punjab Educational Endowment Fund and Shahbaz Sharif laptop scheme. His electric power initiatives include Nandipur Power Project, Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park and other projects.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Shah Mahmood Qureshi is a politician and the current Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs since August 20, 2018. He previously held the same position from 2008 to 2011. He is a member of the National Assembly since August 2018 and the vice-chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party since December 2011.

Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly from 2002 to May 2018 and served as the minister for foreign affairs from 2008 to 2011. He remained a member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab for nine years from 1985 to 1993 and had served in provincial cabinet of Punjab in various positions between 1988 and 1993. He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of the PTI in 2018 general election. On August 18, Imran Khan announced his federal cabinet structure and Qureshi was named as minister for foreign affairs.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is a chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party. He became a member of the National Assembly in August 2018. In June 2018, the PPP, under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto, became the first political party to unveil its election manifesto for the 2018 general elections. In March 2019, Bilawal was elected as the chairperson of the National Assembly standing committee for human rights.

Bilawal has repeatedly criticised the ‘One Unit’ system and warned against any attempt to bring in the presidential system, explaining that it will not be in the interest of democracy. A srong advocate for democracy, Bilawal has repeatedly denounced censorship and likened any forms of curbing media freedom to living under a dictatorship. He is a strong advocate of “peaceful, progressive, prosperous, democratic Pakistan”, which he calls his mother’s vision. He is a defender of the rights of minorities in the country.

Maryam Nawaz

Maryam Nawaz is daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Maryam was initially involved in the family’s philanthropic organisations. However, in 2012, she entered politics and was put in charge of election campaign during the 2013 general elections. In March 2017, she was chosen as one of the BBC’s 100 Women. In December 2017, she was featured on The New York Times list of 11 Powerful Women Around the World for the year 2017.

She became politically active in 2017 after her father Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in relation to the Panama Papers case. She campaigned for her mother Kulsoom Nawaz during the by-elections. In July 2018, she was sentenced to 7 years in jail on corruption charges. As a result, she was disqualified from contesting election for 10 years. In August 2019, she was arrested by National Accountability Bureau over Chaudhry Sugar Mills corruption charges.

Asad Umar

Asad Umar is a member of the National Assembly since September 2013. He is currently serving as Federal Minister for Planning and Special Initiative. Prior to entering politics, he was a business executive, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Engro Corporation from 2004 to 2012. He joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in 2012 and was made senior vice-president of the party.

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a PTI candidate in 2018 general election. In August 2018, he was sworn in as federal minister for finance, revenue, and economic affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In April 2019, he stepped down from the finance ministry. Later in November, he was inducted into federal cabinet and appointed as federal minister for planning and special initiative.

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai has not entered the political fray yet. But there are high hopes in the country that she will enter politics after finishing her studies in Britain. Malala is an activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She is known for human rights advocacy, especially the education of women and children in her native Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the Taleban had at times banned girls from attending school. In October 2012, while on a bus in the Swat District, Malala and two other girls were shot by a Taleban gunman in an attempt to kill her in retaliation for her activism. Following her recovery, she became a prominent activist for the right to education. Based in Birmingham, she co-founded the Malala Fund and in 2013, co-authored I Am Malala, an international best seller.

She was the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, along with Kailash Satyarthi of India. Aged 17 at the time, she was the youngestever Nobel Prize laureate.

Syed Mustafa Kamal

Syed Mustafa Kamal is founder and current leader of Pak Sarzameen Party. He served as the mayor of Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi. Kamal is known as “The Person Who Built Karachi To The City Of Lights”.

He served as the IT Minister for the Sindh province from 2003 to 2005. In 2013, he was elected to the Senate from Sindh, but abruptly left Pakistan after developing differences with the MQM.

He was chosen as the mayor of Karachi by the MQM for his work in the party. He later became very successful as Mayor Karachi, and won the World Mayor Prize in 2010.

In 2013, Kamal was elected to the Pakistani Senate from Sindh. He resigned from the seat, citing personal obligations behind his resignation.

Kamal believes his party is a strong alternative to the MQM and that the Muhajirs can turn to it for their rights.