Only 1 out of 9 pms since 1999 could reach next NA

LAHORE : There is a unique precedent in Pakistan that 8 out of total 9 Prime Ministers in Pakistan between 1999 to 2022 have not been able to reach the National Assembly that was followed by one from where they took oath as PM.

Every outgoing Prime Minister except one out of the total 9 between 1999 to 2022 has not been able to return to the next NA, either in form of defeat, disqualification or some other reason since 1999.

Between 1999 to 2022, the Prime Ministers, including Nawaz Sharif (twice) Zafar Ullah Jamali, Shujaat Hussein, Shaukat Aziz, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf could not qualify for the very next National Assembly and now Imran Khan, facing disqualification is also not eligible to contest poll and take oath in the NA which is coming into existence after the one from where he took the vote of confidence and took oath as PM.

In all these years, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been the only figure who took oath as PM and also returned to the very next NA. However, he is fortunate because he was able to win the by-poll for a NA seat in Lahore after suffering defeats from Murree and Islamabad; otherwise, nine out of nine former PMs between 1999 to 2022 would have missed the next NA that came into being after the one which made them Prime Minister.

Shehbaz Sharif has so far been the last elected PM and he is also contesting for the National Assembly seats for the 2024 general elections.

On October 12, 1999, then PM Nawaz Sharif was removed after a coup by then Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf. By 2000, Nawaz Sharif had left Pakistan and in the National Assembly that came into existence after October 2002 polls, he was not the part of it. Between 2002 to 2007, three figures, including Shaukat Aziz, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussein and Zafar Ullah Jamali served as PM. However, all these three were not part of the next National Assembly that came into existence in 2008 polls.

Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani of PPP served as the PM between 2008 to 2012 and after the Supreme Court's ruling, he was sent home and due to disqualification, he could not contest the next polls and was out of the next NA that continued between 2013 to 2018. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf of PPP, who had replaced Yusuf Raza Gilani as the new PM lost the 2013 general elections and he could not become the part of the next NA, between 2013 to 2018. Nawaz Sharif, the PMLN supermo who became PM in 2013 had to face disqualification through court in 2017 and after being convicted by the court, he was unable to contest the next general election and could not become the part of the National Assembly that continued between 2018 to 2013. His successor, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had almost missed the next NA after suffering defeats in the 2018 general elections but he was fortunate to have won the NA-124 by-polls from Lahore due to which he returned to the NA.

Quite contrary to this, between 1988 to 1999, the tradition was different. Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1988.

In the next National Assembly that came in 1990, Nawaz Sharif became PM but Benazir Bhutto was part of that NA and she also served as Opposition leader. Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1993 while Nawaz Sharif was part of that NA and also served as the Opposition leader. Even in the 1997 Assembly while PPP had only 17 seats, Benazir Bhutto remained part of that NA from where Nawaz took oath once again.

In Pakistan, for last 25 years that every politician except one who has taken oath as Prime Minister of the country has missed the next National Assembly.