Pakistan has had a rather turbulent political history with power struggles between the various political parties of the country, undermining the development of the country.
The very people for whom this country came into being are sadly the ones who have consistently failed to understand the country; our motherland comes first! Personal power struggles and personal vendettas have miserably hindered the progress of this great nation for a long time. However, this is not saying in any way that there haven’t been awe-inspiring developments as well.
Pakistan was one of the few nations to have a female prime minister when the whole country was thought of as “backward”.
Here are some of Pakistan’s most notable prime ministers to date.
Liaquat Ali Khan
Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was the first prime minister of our beloved nation.
He was also known as Quaid-e-Millat (Leader of the Nation) and Shaheed-e-Millat (Martyr of the Nation). Liaquat Ali Khan was appointed by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and this serves as evidence of both his capability and his contribution towards the formation of our country.
As the first prime minister of Pakistan he took initiatives to develop the educational sector with the vision of bringing the country to the forefront in scientific and technological development.
Unfortunately, he was assassinated on 16 October 1951 while addressing a gathering at Company Gardens, Rawalpindi.
Muhammad Ali Bogra
Mohammad Ali Bogra was the third prime minister of Pakistan and was appointed in 1953.
A highly educated and respected individual, he sought to strengthen the foreign policy of Pakistan by favoring tie with the United States rather than the Soviet Union.
His appointment as the Prime Minister of Pakistan was also ardently admired and endorsed by the United States, leading to favorable decisions from the latter as well.
His time also witnessed the first of promising contacts with China at the Bandung Conference in Indonesia. Perhaps most important was his effort to draft the constitution which he did post-haste.
Within six months of his appointment he has presented a proposal which left to the drafting of the constitutional writ. He was without a doubt quite ahead of his time to understand the importance of the constitution in a country.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was perhaps one of the most revolutionary prime ministers of Pakistan, we all will agree! Nevertheless, even today, the nation remains largely divided over opinions relating to him.
His life and career travelled a fast paced track which ultimately led to his death at the early age of 51. However short-lived his career might have been, he had the foresight to lay down the foundations of relations with China which continue to benefit Pakistan in numerous ways to date.
What is most remarkable about him is the fact that his views and policies gained equal favor among the peasantry, working class and the emerging middle class as well. During his time as the Prime Minister, he built a network of schools in slums and villages, created basic health facilities among other measures.
Most extraordinary, however, was his contribution to the defense paradigm of nuclear weapons. He was hanged after being convicted for murder.
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a pioneer for women in politics in a country where women were looked upon as mere objects and confined to households.
She had a strong educational background which in itself was an oddity at that time, and even stronger opinions which was an even bigger foible! Her ideals were centered on democratic policies. For her unbendable will, she was dubbed as the Iron Lady of Pakistan.
Benazir Bhutto contributed considerably to politics and the overall political environment of the country. Nonetheless, what she should be applauded for is the way she conducted herself in a position of power when women were barely acknowledged in the political genre.
Carrying her infants in her hand, she was a living tribute to the very strength that is called a woman!
She was assassinated on 27th December 2007, in Rawalpindi while campaigning for elections scheduled in January 2008.
Imran Khan
Imran Khan, the cricketer turned politician, is the current prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Imran Khan struggled for a long while passing through the political machine in Pakistan before finally gaining recognition for his nationalist and populist views.
The dapper looking gentleman has inspired hope in the hearts of all Pakistanis with his promises of a just, fair and progressive nation.
Despite hailing from a non-political background, his strength in dealing with all issues small and large so far, has been commendable. While only time can tell what he will be able to accomplish, it seems as if Pakistan has finally gotten a man at the wheels who is willing to steer the nation in the right direction!
