Coalition Politics & Alliance-Making in Pakistan

In 1974, under the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and following a unanimous vote in the Parliament, the 2nd Amendment was passed, which formally defined 'Muslim' in the constitution and declared the Ahmadiyya community as non-Muslims.

The 18th Amendment (2010) secured the NFC Award by mandating that the provincial share in a new award cannot be less than the share given in the previous award, providing fiscal autonomy to the provinces.

The 3rd Amendment extended the period for which a person could be detained without trial under preventive detention laws, reflecting the tense political climate and the state's use of security laws against opposition alliances in the mid-70s.

The Panama Papers case (2017) was a significant moment in constitutional politics. A five-member bench, headed by Justice Saqib Nisar (though the initial judgment was by a bench including Justice Khosa), disqualified Nawaz Sharif for not being 'Sadiq and Ameen' under Article 62(1)(f).

In 2024, after PTI-backed independent candidates joined the SIC, a major constitutional dispute arose regarding whether a party that did not win any general seats or contest the election could be allocated reserved seats. The Supreme Court eventually ruled in favor of PTI.

The 1st Amendment was necessary to officially recognize the reality of the secession of East Pakistan (Bangladesh) and to redefine the borders of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to consist of the four provinces of West Pakistan and the tribal areas.

Senator Raza Rabbani of the PPP chaired the multi-party Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms. He is widely considered the architect of the 18th Amendment for his role in building a consensus among all political parties.

The 4th and 5th amendments under the Bhutto government were criticized for curtailing the powers of the judiciary and the High Courts in particular, reflecting the executive's attempt to consolidate power against constitutional challenges.

Following the successful vote of no-confidence in April 2022, the parties of the PDM alliance (PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, etc.) formed a coalition government with Shahbaz Sharif as Prime Minister, marking a new phase of alliance politics in Pakistan.

In 1977, as the PNA movement grew, Bhutto passed the 7th Amendment, which allowed the Prime Minister to seek a 'Vote of Confidence' via a national referendum. However, the plan was never executed as the military took over in July 1977.