Political History of Pakistan (1998-2021)

  • May 28, 1998: Pakistan conducts nuclear tests in response to India’s nuclear tests.
  • May 30, 1998: Pakistan conducts additional nuclear tests.
  • July 14, 1998: Nawaz Sharif declares a state of emergency and assumes extensive powers.
  • October 12, 1999: General Pervez Musharraf takes over the government in a bloodless coup.
  • November 12, 1999: General Pervez Musharraf declares himself Chief Executive of Pakistan.
  • 2000: 6. April 6, 2000: Pakistan’s cricket team wins the Sharjah Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
  • October 7, 2000: Pakistan’s cricket team wins the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Kenya.
  • November 19, 2000: General Pervez Musharraf becomes the President of Pakistan.
  • December 31, 2000: Pakistan’s cricket team wins the Asian Test Championship.
  • 2001: 10. September 11, 2001: Terrorist attacks in the United States prompt Pakistan to align with the global War on Terror.
  • October 7, 2001: US-led military operations in Afghanistan begin, with Pakistan as a key ally.
  • December 16, 2001: President Pervez Musharraf announces a ban on militant groups.
  • December 27, 2001: Indian Parliament is attacked, leading to increased tensions between India and Pakistan.
  • 2002: 14. January 12, 2002: General elections are held, and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) emerges as the largest party.
  • January 20, 2002: Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali becomes the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
  • May 2, 2002: President Pervez Musharraf’s referendum extends his term for five years.
  • October 10, 2002: General elections are held, and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) retains power.
  • November 2, 2002: Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali resigns as Prime Minister.
  • November 23, 2002: Shaukat Aziz becomes the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
  • 2003: 20. February 14, 2003: Pakistan’s cricket team reaches the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa.
  • November 28, 2003: General Pervez Musharraf survives an assassination attempt in Rawalpindi.
  • 2004: 22. December 26, 2004: An earthquake strikes northern Pakistan, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.
  • 2005: 23. February 21, 2005: The Lahore Declaration is signed between India and Pakistan to promote bilateral relations.
  • October 8, 2005: An earthquake strikes northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, causing significant devastation.
  • December 31, 2005: The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is held in Islamabad.
  • 2006: 26. July 10, 2006: The Supreme Court of Pakistan declares the privatization of Pakistan Steel Mills illegal.
  • July 15, 2006: The Lal Masjid operation begins in Islamabad to confront radical militants.
  • 2007: 28. March 9, 2007: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is suspended, leading to widespread protests.
  • July 20, 2007: Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) operation concludes with the death of several militants.
  • October 18, 2007: General elections are held, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerges as the largest party.
  • November 3, 2007: President Pervez Musharraf declares a state of emergency, suspending the Constitution.
  • December 27, 2007: Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister and leader of the PPP, is assassinated in Rawalpindi.
  • 2008: 34. February 18, 2008: General elections are held, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) wins a majority.
  • March 24, 2008: Yousaf Raza Gillani becomes the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
  • August 18, 2008: President Pervez Musharraf resigns under pressure and goes into self-imposed exile.
  • September 6, 2008: Asif Ali Zardari is elected as the new President of Pakistan.
  • November 26, 2008: Terrorist attacks in Mumbai strain relations between India and Pakistan.
  • 2009: 39. February 16, 2009: The Swat Valley peace deal is signed, imposing Sharia law in the region.
  • April 26, 2009: The Pakistan Army launches Operation Rah-e-Rast to eliminate Taliban militants in Swat Valley.
  • October 5, 2009: The Pakistan Army launches Operation Rah-e-Nijat to combat Taliban insurgency in South Waziristan.
  • November 11, 2009: The Pakistan Army successfully recaptures the major town of Mingora in Swat Valley.
  • 2010: 43. January 1, 2010: The Sialkot lynching incident occurs, leading to public outrage and calls for justice.
  • May 28, 2010: The Pakistan Army conducts a successful operation against militants in Orakzai Agency.
  • July 28, 2010: The 18th Amendment to the Constitution is passed, introducing significant reforms.
  • July 31, 2010: Massive flooding affects large parts of Pakistan, causing extensive damage and loss of life.
  • 2011: 47. May 2, 2011: Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda, is killed in a raid by US forces in Abbottabad.
  • October 22, 2011: Malala Yousafzai, a young education activist, survives an assassination attempt by the Taliban.
  • November 26, 2011: NATO forces mistakenly attack a Pakistani border post in the Mohmand Agency, killing Pakistani soldiers.
  • 2012: 50. June 19, 2012: Youm-e-Takbeer is observed, commemorating Pakistan’s successful nuclear tests in 1998.
  • September 21, 2012: Protests erupt across Pakistan against the anti-Islam film, “Innocence of Muslims.”
  • 2013: 52. May 11, 2013: General elections are held, and Pakistan Muslim League (N) emerges as the largest party.
  • June 5, 2013: Nawaz Sharif becomes the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the third time.
  • 2014: 54. June 8, 2014: The Pakistan Army launches Operation Zarb-e-Azb to eliminate terrorist networks in North Waziristan.
  • December 16, 2014: The Army Public School massacre takes place in Peshawar, leading to nationwide grief and a renewed resolve to combat terrorism.
  • 2015: 56. March 15, 2015: Pakistan successfully launches its first indigenously developed armed drone, the Burraq.
  • April 4, 2015: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurates the Gwadar Port in Balochistan as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
  • 2016: 58. April 16, 2016: A deadly terrorist attack occurs at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Lahore, targeting Christians celebrating Easter.
  • August 8, 2016: The Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualifies Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over corruption charges.
  • 2017: 60. January 2, 2017: The Pakistan Army launches Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad to eliminate residual terrorist elements across the country.
  • May 22, 2017: The International Court of Justice stays the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national accused of espionage in Pakistan.
  • July 28, 2017: Nawaz Sharif is disqualified from holding public office by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.
  • 2018: 63. May 11, 2018: Pakistan’s general elections are held, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerges as the largest party.
  • August 18, 2018: Imran Khan becomes the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
  • November 2, 2018: Asia Bibi, a Christian woman facing blasphemy charges, is acquitted by the Supreme Court.
  • 2019: 66. February 14, 2019: A suicide bombing targets a convoy of security forces in Pulwama, India, escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
  • February 27, 2019: Pakistan shoots down two Indian fighter jets in a retaliatory response to an airstrike by India.
  • August 5, 2019: India revokes the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
  • 2020: 69. February 29, 2020: The United States signs a peace agreement with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, aimed at ending the Afghan War.
  • March 26, 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic hits Pakistan, leading to nationwide lockdowns and health emergencies.
  • 2021: 71. February 5, 2021: The Senate elections take place in Pakistan amidst allegations of horse-trading and irregularities.
  • June 30, 2021: The Pakistan Army conducts successful elections for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

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