The February 2008 elections, held after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, returned Pakistan to democracy with the PPP forming the government under President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Yousaf Raza Gillani.
In 2013, Pakistan achieved a historic first: the first-ever democratic transfer of power from one elected government to another, as PML-N under Nawaz Sharif won the election. A second peaceful transfer followed in 2018.
The era was marked by the landmark 18th Amendment (2010), the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), major military operations against the TTP, and persistent governance challenges.
18th Amendment
The 18th Amendment was a landmark reform that abolished the President's power to dissolve the National Assembly, devolved significant powers to provinces, and renamed the NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
CPEC
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a massive infrastructure investment program connecting Gwadar Port to China's Xinjiang province through roads, railways, and pipelines, became the cornerstone of Pakistan's development strategy.
Major Events
- 2008: PPP wins elections; Asif Ali Zardari becomes President
- 2008: Musharraf resigns under impeachment threat
- 2009: Operation Rah-e-Rast in Swat against TTP
- 2010: 18th Amendment dramatically devolves power to provinces
- 2013: Historic first peaceful transition; PML-N wins, Nawaz Sharif becomes PM
- 2013: CPEC announced
- 2014: Army Public School Peshawar attack; National Action Plan launched
- 2017: Nawaz Sharif disqualified by Supreme Court in Panama Papers case
Key Figures
Historical Media
