Pakistan’s political landscape has been tumultuous in 2022, with a series of events leading to crises at the national and provincial levels. From submitting a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government to the resignation of the Chief Minister of Punjab province and the dissolution of the National Assembly, the country has been rocked by a series of political upheavals. This blog post provides a comprehensive guide to Pakistan’s 2022 political crises, highlighting the key events and their implications.
No-confidence motion against Imran Khan
The year 2022 began with submitting a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government in the National Assembly. The motion was tabled on March 28, 2022, and was followed by a slow trickle of allies going from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government to the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) led the opposition. The opposition claimed it had the support from a group of PTI MNAs led by the ex-secretary general of the PTI, Jahangir Tareen. The voting was scheduled for April 3, but the deputy speaker, Qasim Suri, refused to hold the vote, citing a foreign conspiracy against the government and article 5 of the constitution. This was later ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Voting finally occurred on April 9, with Imran Khan losing the vote. Shehbaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan two days later, on April 11.
Provincial Assembly of the Punjab crisis
The resignation of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar from his post in favor of Pervaiz Elahi, PTI’s ally, led to a political crisis in Punjab Assembly. The current speaker, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, a PML(Q) member, was nominated by the PML(Q) and PTI for the role of chief minister. In contrast, the opposition parties, PML-N and PPP nominated Hamza Shehbaz of the PML(N). Due to the speaker being a contestant in the election, the deputy speaker, Dost Muhammad Mazari of the PTI was in charge of the proceedings. The election, initially scheduled for April 16, was moved to April 6 by the deputy speaker. However, the secretary assembly refused to comply with his orders, and a no-confidence motion was moved against him by his party.
Constitutional crisis
On April 3, 2022, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri refused to hold a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan, citing article 5 of the Pakistani Constitution and then dissolved the National Assembly. He and the Prime Minister and other members of the ruling PTI alleged a foreign conspiracy against them, with no evidence brought forth thus far. The Supreme Court took on the case suo moto and ruled 5-0 that the ruling was unconstitutional and the vote needed to take place on April 9, 2022.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly
On April 8, opposition parties in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly filed a no-confidence motion against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. The no-confidence motion was filed by Awami National Party parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak, provincial senior vice president Khush Dil Khan, MPA Shagufta Malik and others from the united opposition in the provincial assembly secretariat.
The constitutional crisis and the subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly sparked widespread protests and public outcry, with many accusing the ruling party of attempting to cling to power by any means necessary. The opposition parties, on the other hand, saw this as a golden opportunity to bring about a change in government and wasted no time in filing a motion of no-confidence against Imran Khan.
The no-confidence motion was initially scheduled to be voted on April 3, 2022, but was postponed by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who cited a foreign conspiracy against the government as the reason for his decision. This move was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and the vote finally took place on April 9, with Imran Khan losing the vote. Two days later, Shahbaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The crisis was not limited to the national level, as several provincial assemblies also saw no-confidence motions and leadership changes. The Chief Minister of Punjab, Usman Buzdar, resigned from his post on Khan’s order in favor of Pervaiz Elahi, a PTI ally, which led to a political crisis in the Punjab Assembly. Meanwhile, a no-confidence motion was also filed against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan by the opposition parties in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and the PTI submitted a motion of no-confidence against their own Azad Kashmir prime minister.
The crisis also led to a situation of uncertainty with regards to the taking of oaths. When Shahbaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister, President Arif Alvi had to take oath from him, but the president went on leave due to illness. In his absence, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani administered the oath of office to the new Prime Minister. On April 19, 2022, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s 34-member cabinet was sworn in, but President Arif Alvi refused again.
The crisis reached a new level when Imran Khan was targeted in an assassination attempt during a political rally in November 2022. Khan survived the shooting, but the incident sparked concerns over the safety and stability of the country’s political system.
In the aftermath of the crisis, the country continues to grapple with the aftermath and implications of the events of 2022. It remains to be seen how the new government under Shahbaz Sharif will navigate the challenges facing the country, including a struggling economy, a deteriorating security situation, and rising political polarization.
In conclusion, Pakistan’s political crises in 2022 marked a tumultuous period in the country’s history, with significant implications for its political system and future. The events of the year highlighted the deep political divisions and challenges facing the country, and underscored the need for greater political stability, dialogue, and cooperation moving forward.
Economical Crisis Followed
Political instability and unrest can have significant effects on a country’s economy, and Pakistan is no exception. The country’s political crises in 2022 had far-reaching economic consequences, and it’s worth exploring them in more detail.
One of the immediate effects of the political crises was a decline in the value of the Pakistani rupee. The uncertainty created by the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan and the subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly led to a lack of confidence in the government’s ability to manage the economy. As a result, investors and traders began selling off Pakistani rupees, which put downward pressure on the currency’s value. The rupee lost nearly 10% of its value against the US dollar in the first half of 2022, which made imports more expensive and fueled inflation.
The decline in the rupee’s value also made it more difficult for Pakistan to service its foreign debt. Pakistan had already been struggling with a high debt burden before the political crises, and the weakening currency made it even harder for the country to make its debt payments. This, in turn, led to a downgrade in Pakistan’s credit rating by several major credit rating agencies, which made it more expensive for the country to borrow money in international markets.
Another economic consequence of the political crises was a slowdown in economic growth. The uncertainty created by the political turmoil led to a decline in business and consumer confidence, which in turn led to a reduction in investment and spending. The country’s GDP growth rate slowed from 4.4% in 2021 to 2.7% in 2022, and many sectors of the economy, such as manufacturing and construction, experienced declines.
Finally, the political crises also had a negative impact on Pakistan’s stock market. The KSE-100 index, which tracks the performance of the country’s largest companies, lost nearly a quarter of its value in the first half of 2022. The decline in the stock market was driven by a combination of factors, including the decline in the rupee’s value, the slowdown in economic growth, and the lack of confidence in the government.
In summary, Pakistan’s 2022 political crises had significant economic consequences, including a decline in the value of the Pakistani rupee, a slowdown in economic growth, a downgrade in the country’s credit rating, and a decline in the stock market. These effects highlight the close relationship between politics and economics and demonstrate the importance of stability and predictability in government policy for a healthy economy.