Current Tenure — Coalition Governments (2022–Present)

⚠️ Currency note: this topic covers fast-moving current events. Verify recent developments (post-2025) with up-to-date sources before an exam or interview.

I. Formation of the Coalition Government (April 2022)

• 11 April 2022: Shehbaz Sharif (PML-N) became PM after Imran Khan's removal via a no-confidence vote, heading a broad coalition often called the PDM government: PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, MQM-P, BAP, and others.
• Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (PPP) became Foreign Minister.
• Inherited a severe economic crisis: high inflation, a depleting current account, and a nearly-expired IMF programme.

II. Economic Crisis & IMF Programme

• Revived the stalled IMF EFF programme, with difficult conditions (subsidy removal, tax hikes, exchange-rate flexibility) causing a sharp spike in inflation, peaking at historic highs in 2023.
• 2023 devastating floods (see below) added further fiscal strain.
• A new Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF was secured in 2023, followed by a further programme in 2024 — reflecting a recurring pattern of IMF dependence across governments (PPP, PML-N, PTI alike).

III. PTI's Protest Movement & 9 May 2023

• After his removal, Imran Khan led a sustained protest movement, alleging a "foreign conspiracy" and demanding early elections.
• 9 May 2023: Imran Khan's arrest (a corruption case) triggered widespread, violent protests, including attacks on military installations (Lahore Corps Commander's House, Rawalpindi GHQ) — an unprecedented escalation in civil–military tensions.
• The state responded with a major crackdown: mass arrests of PTI workers/leaders, and military trials for some accused of attacking military sites — controversial and criticised by rights groups.
• Imran Khan faced numerous legal cases and was convicted/imprisoned in several in 2023–2024.

IV. The 2022 Floods

• Summer 2022: catastrophic monsoon floods, comparable to 2010, affected an estimated 33 million people, submerging roughly a third of the country, with tens of billions of dollars in damage.
• Widely linked to climate change; intensified Pakistan's advocacy on climate finance (COP27, "loss and damage" fund discussions).

V. Caretaker Government & the 2024 Elections

• The PDM coalition's National Assembly term ended in August 2023; Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was appointed caretaker PM, overseeing an extended caretaker period.
• Delimitation of constituencies (following the 2023 census) delayed elections beyond the constitutional 90-day window, drawing criticism, until the Election Commission and courts set a final date.
• 8 February 2024: general elections held.
  • PTI-backed independents (PTI itself was barred from using its cricket-bat symbol after losing an intra-party election dispute at the ECP) won the largest single bloc of seats, though contested claims of rigging were made by PTI.
  • PML-N emerged as the largest formally recognised party in Parliament and formed a coalition government with PPP, MQM-P, and others.
  • Shehbaz Sharif became PM again (his second stint), sworn in March 2024.
  • Asif Ali Zardari (PPP) was elected President for a second time (having previously served 2008–2013) — the first Pakistani leader to hold the presidency twice.
  • Nawaz Sharif returned to active politics (having returned from exile in October 2023, with his convictions later overturned/suspended by courts), though he did not take the premiership himself this time, backing his brother Shehbaz instead.

VI. The 26th Constitutional Amendment (October 2024)

• Passed by the coalition government in October 2024, a significant and controversial amendment to the judicial appointments and constitutional bench system.
• Key features:
  • Created special "constitutional benches" within the Supreme Court and High Courts, to hear constitutional matters separately from ordinary appellate work.
  • Changed the process for appointing the Chief Justice of Pakistan, moving from strict seniority to a parliamentary committee-based selection from among the senior-most judges.
  • Adjusted the composition and role of the Judicial Commission (originally created by the 18th Amendment, Article 175A).
• Criticism: opposition parties (notably PTI) and some legal/bar bodies argued this undermined judicial independence by giving the executive/parliament greater influence over the judiciary's leadership and structure — echoing long-running tensions between the judiciary and elected governments seen throughout Pakistan's history (see the Zia PCO, Musharraf judicial crisis, and Panama Papers notes for historical parallels).

VII. Foreign Policy & Security (2022–present)

• Afghanistan: relations with the Taliban government deteriorated over this period, driven by a resurgence of TTP attacks launched from Afghan soil; Pakistan conducted cross-border strikes and, controversially, began mass deportation of undocumented Afghan refugees from late 2023 onward.
• China: continued as the key strategic partner, with ongoing (if uneven-paced) CPEC implementation and security cooperation, especially after attacks on Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects in Pakistan.
• India: relations remained frozen at a low ebb, with no substantive high-level dialogue resumed since 2019.
• Gulf states/Saudi Arabia: continued as key sources of financial support (deposits, rollovers) underpinning Pakistan's external financing needs.

VIII. Economic Trajectory

• Inflation peaked above 35–38% year-on-year in 2023, among the highest in Pakistan's history, before gradually easing through 2024–2025 under IMF-linked stabilisation.
• Currency depreciation continued, with the rupee losing significant value against the US dollar over this period.
• Structural issues persisted: low tax-to-GDP ratio, energy-sector circular debt, and a narrow export base — themes recurring across every government covered in this playlist (PPP, PML-N, PTI, and now the PML-N/PPP coalition).

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📊 Key Figures at a Glance

⚠️ MCQ Traps

• Shehbaz Sharif has served as PM twice in this period alone — April 2022 (after Imran Khan's no-confidence removal) and again from March 2024 (after the 2024 election) — don't conflate the two stints.
• Asif Ali Zardari became President for a second, non-consecutive term in 2024 — a unique first in Pakistan's history.
• PTI itself did not officially contest the 2024 election under its own symbol; its candidates ran as independents after an ECP ruling on its intra-party elections.
• The 26th Amendment (2024) deals with judicial appointments/constitutional benches — distinct from the 18th Amendment (parliamentary/provincial powers) and the 25th Amendment (FATA merger, 2018).
• The 2022 floods (33 million affected) are distinct from the 2010 floods (~20 million affected) — both are frequently tested, so keep the figures and years separate.

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✍️ Model Answer Outline

Q. Discuss the major political and economic developments in Pakistan since April 2022.

1. Introduction: the no-confidence vote's aftermath and the formation of the PDM coalition government.
2. Economic crisis: IMF programmes, inflation, the 2022 floods.
3. Political turbulence: PTI's protest movement, the 9 May 2023 crisis, and its civil–military implications.
4. 2024 elections and government formation: the PML-N/PPP coalition, Shehbaz Sharif's second term, Zardari's second presidency.
5. Constitutional development: the 26th Amendment and the judiciary debate.
6. Conclusion: a period marked by economic distress, political polarisation, and renewed civil–military and judiciary–executive tensions — themes that echo recurring patterns across Pakistan's political history.

🧠 Self-Test Questions

1. How did the PDM coalition government form in April 2022, and what economic challenges did it inherit?
2. What triggered the 9 May 2023 protests, and how did the state respond?
3. Describe the scale and impact of the 2022 floods.
4. How did the 2024 general election result in a PML-N/PPP coalition despite PTI-backed independents winning the most seats?
5. What are the key features of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, and why is it controversial?

⚡ 60-Second Revision

Apr 2022: Shehbaz Sharif PM (1st stint), PDM coalition, economic crisis inherited • IMF EFF revived, inflation spikes (35-38% by 2023), new SBA 2023 • 9 May 2023: Imran Khan's arrest → violent protests, attacks on military sites → crackdown, military trials • Summer 2022 floods: ~33 million affected, climate finance advocacy (COP27) • Caretaker PM Kakar (Aug 2023 onward) amid delayed elections • 8 Feb 2024 election: PTI-backed independents win most seats but PTI barred from its symbol → PML-N forms coalition with PPP → Shehbaz Sharif PM again (Mar 2024), Zardari President again (2nd non-consecutive term) • 26th Amendment (Oct 2024): constitutional benches, new CJP appointment process, judicial independence controversy • Foreign policy: TTP resurgence from Afghanistan, Afghan refugee deportations, China/CPEC continuity, India ties frozen • Structural economic issues (tax base, circular debt, exports) persist across governments

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This concludes the political history series through the present coalition tenure.