Timeline of Pakistani history — Safekipedia Discoverer

This is a timeline of Pakistani history, showing important changes and events in the area that is now Pakistan. It includes legal changes, shifts in territory, and big political moments that shaped the country.

To learn more about the background of these events, you can read about the History of Pakistan and the History of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

This timeline is a , which means it is always growing and might not always be complete. You can help by to add missing items, using .

Paleolithic Period	Middle Paleolithic Period · Upper Paleolithic Period
Centuries	BCE	35th · 27th · 25th · 19th · 17th · 15th · 13th · 12th · 10th · 7th · 6th · 5th · 4th · 3rd · 2nd · 1st
Centuries	CE	1st · 2nd · 3rd · 4th · 5th · 6th · 7th · 8th · 9th · 10th · 11th · 12th · 13th · 14th · 15th · 16th · 17th · 18th · 19th · 20th · 21st

Middle Paleolithic

Year	Event
300,000 BCE – 100,000 BCE	Flake tools, microliths and other chopping tools have been found in Soan Valley. Most of these tools were composed of the metamorphic quartzite rocks. The stone tool artifacts in this assemblage have been identified as a part of the second inter-pluvial period in Pakistan.

Upper Paleolithic

Year	Event
43,000 BCE	The archaeological site of Riwat 55 dates back to this period. It is modern form of Early Riwat Site. Riwat 55 contains a structure that includes a low wall footing, a pit, and a stone-lined niche, all associated with a freshly flaked stone assemblage that included blades.

35th century BCE

Year	Event
3500 BCE – 3300 BCE	Mature phases of the Indus Valley Civilization begins. The civilization used an early form of the Indus signs, also called Indus script. Over the course of next 1000–1500 years, inhabitants of the civilization developed new techniques in handicraft (carnelian products and seal carving) and metallurgy (copper, bronze, lead, and tin) had elaborate urban planning, baked brick houses, efficient drainage systems, water supply systems, and clusters of large non-residential buildings. The civilization depended significantly on trade, was the first civilization to use wheeled transport in form of bullock carts, and also used boats.

Year

Event

3500 BCE – 3300 BCE

Mature phases of the Indus Valley Civilization begins. The civilization used an early form of the Indus signs, also called Indus script.

Over the course of next 1000–1500 years, inhabitants of the civilization developed new techniques in handicraft (carnelian products and seal carving) and metallurgy (copper, bronze, lead, and tin) had elaborate urban planning, baked brick houses, efficient drainage systems, water supply systems, and clusters of large non-residential buildings. The civilization depended significantly on trade, was the first civilization to use wheeled transport in form of bullock carts, and also used boats.

27th century BCE

Year	Event
2700 BCE – 2600 BCE	The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro become large metropolises and the civilization expands to over 2,500 cities and settlements across the whole region of modern-day Pakistan, covering a region of around one million square miles, which was larger than the land area of its contemporaries Egypt and Mesopotamia combined, and also had superior urban planning and sewage systems. The civilization began using the mature Indus script for its writing system.

Year

Event

2700 BCE – 2600 BCE

The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro become large metropolises and the civilization expands to over 2,500 cities and settlements across the whole region of modern-day Pakistan, covering a region of around one million square miles, which was larger than the land area of its contemporaries Egypt and Mesopotamia combined, and also had superior urban planning and sewage systems. The civilization began using the mature Indus script for its writing system.

25th century BCE

Year	Event
2500 BCE – 2000 BCE	The culture, artichetere, technology and educational system of Indus Valley civilization reached at its zenith with Harappa and Kot Diji as main centres. These fluctuations reflect complex and dynamic political, ideological, and economic processes that are an integral part of urban society.

19th century BCE

This section lists important events and changes that happened a very long time ago in the area that is now Pakistan. It shows how people lived and what they built thousands of years ago. The details are in the table below.

Year	Event
1900 BCE – 1300 BCE	Late Harappan Phase (Cemetery H Culture)

13th century BCE

Year	Event
1300 BCE	Cemetery H culture comes to an end

10th century BCE

Year	Event
1000 BCE	Middle and Late Vedic period (to 500 BCE)
1000 BCE	Iron Age of Indian subcontinent (including today's Pakistan)

6th century BCE

Year	Event
600 BCE	Sixteen Maha Janapadas ("Great Realms" or "Great Kingdoms") emerge.
600 BCE	Vedic period ends.
535 BCE – 518 BCE	Achaemenid Emperors launched Persian campaign of Indus Valley and in result parts of modern-day Pakistan became easternmost part of Achaemenid Empire
500 BCE	Gandhara Civilization at first stage of its flourishness.

5th century BCE

Year	Event
500 BCE – 450 BCE	Persian rule is at its zenith.
500 BCE	Roruka as capital of Sauvira Kingdom become most important trading center of Indian subcontinent, also mentioned in early Buddhist literature.

4th century BCE

2nd century BCE

Year	Event
200 BCE – 150 BCE	Gandhara Civilization (present day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) flourished in new way by combination of Hellenistic culture and Ancient Indian culture. Taxila became centre of Gandhara Civilization and religion of Buddhism.

1st century BCE

Year	Event
75 BCE	Arrival of Scythians (Sakas) from Central Asia.
58 BCE	Beginning of Vikram Era.

1st century

Year	Event
20 AD – 35 AD	Indo-Parthian Kingdom was established and conquered present northern Pakistan.
35 AD	Western Satraps formed.
68 AD	Establishment of the Kushan Empire by Kujula Kadphises.

2nd century

Year	Event
100 AD or after	Sugar was first produced from sugarcane plants in Punjab.

3rd century

Year	Event
240 AD	Sri Gupta starts the establishment of Gupta Empire in Indian subcontinent (including present Pakistan).
260 AD	Kushans decline and are dominated by Indo-Sassanians.

4th century

Year	Date	Event
320 AD		Chandragupta I ascends the throne of Gupta Empire.
320 AD		Kidarite Kingdom came to power in the region of modern-day Pakistan.
335 AD		Samudragupta ascends the Gupta throne and expands the empire.
380 AD		Chandragupta II, Samudragupta's son becomes the Gupta Emperor.

5th century

6th century

Year	Event
524 AD	Rai dynasty come to power in the region of Sindh.
554 AD	Collapse of Gupta Empire after the death of Skandagupta.
565 AD	Sassanians and Turks overthrow Huns.

7th century

Year	Event
601 AD	Rai dynasty reached at its zenith and covered whole of Pakistan and Afghanistan with the capital of Aror, Sindh.
632 AD	Brahman dynasty come into power and Chach of Aror become Maharaja of Sindh.
644 AD	Islam arrived in Indian subcontinent. Rashidun Caliphate defeated Rai dynasty in the Battle of Rasil and Balochistan become easternmost frontier of Rashidun Caliphate.
665 AD	Turk Shahi gained control west of the Indus River, including Gandhara.
671 AD	At the death of Chach of Alor, the Brahmin dynasty reached its zenith and he was succeeded by his brother Chandar of Sindh.
679 AD	Chandar of Sindh died and succeeded by his nephew Raja Dahir, last Hindu Maharaja of Sindh.

8th century

9th century

Year	Event
841 AD	Dynastic rule of Habbaris over Sindh begin under suzerainty of Abbasid Caliphate.
870 AD	Hindu Shahis captured Kingdom of Kabul Shahi and expanded their rule in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Punjab.
875 AD	Habbari dynasty rule expanded over whole of Sindh, Southern Balochistan and southern Punjab (Multan).

10th century

11th century

12th century

13th century

14th century

Modern era

From 1526 to 1857, the Mughal Empire was very powerful in the area that is now Pakistan. Important leaders like Sher Shah Sur built big forts, and different groups such as the Yusufzais and the Kalhoro Dynasty took control in places like Sindh. In 1739, Nadir Shah from Persia attacked the Mughal Empire.

Later, the British took control of parts of Pakistan. In 1843, they defeated leaders in Sindh, and in 1849, they took over Punjab. By 1 November 1857, most of what is now Pakistan was part of the British Indian Empire. In 1906, a new group called the All-India Muslim League was formed to protect Muslim rights. A leader named Muhammad Ali Jinnah worked with this group. On 14 August 1947, Pakistan became independent.

Post-Independence

1940s

1947

On 3 June, the British Government decided to split British India into two countries, India and Pakistan.
On 14 August, Pakistan became independent. Quaid-a-Azam took oath as the first Governor General of Pakistan, and Liaqat Ali Khan took oath as the first Prime Minister of Pakistan. This was followed by the movement of 10 million people, with Muslims moving to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs to India.
On 30 September, Pakistan became a member of the UN by a unanimous vote of the Security Council.
In October, a rebellion in Poonch against the Maharaja of Kashmir ended with the formation of Azad Kashmir.
On 27 December, a Douglas C-48C aircraft of Air India crashed into Korangi Creek, killing all 23 people onboard. This was Pakistan's first deadly airliner crash.

1948

On 1 January, the UN ordered a cease-fire in Kashmir.
On 11 September, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the first governor general of Pakistan, passed away.

1949

On 1 January, the United Nations established a Cease-fire Line between Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Indian-administered Kashmir.
On 8 February, the Azad Kashmir Government moved its capital to Muzaffarabad.
On 12 March, the Objectives Resolution was passed by Liaquat Ali Khan.

1950s

1950

On 8 April, Liaquat and Nehru signed the Liaquat-Nehru Pact.
On 11 July, Pakistan joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

1951

On 17 January, General Ayub Khan became the first non-British Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan.
On 16 October, Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan was assassinated in Rawalpindi.

1952

On January 26, Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin declared Urdu the national language of Pakistan.
On February 21, ethnic riots began in Dhaka, East Pakistan, against attempts to make Urdu the national language.

1953

From February to May, riots occurred in Lahore against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, leading to martial law being imposed.

1954

On 2 April, Pakistan formed an alliance with Turkey.
On 19 May, Pakistan and the United States signed a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement.

1955

On 19 February, Pakistan signed a treaty and became a part of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization.
In February, a civil revolt broke out in Azad Jammu and Kashmir against Pakistan.

1956

In 1956, the Constituent Assembly promulgated the first indigenous constitution.
On March 23, Iskander Mirza became the first President of Pakistan.

1957

In October, Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar replaced Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy as Prime Minister.
On 16 December, Malik Firoz Khan Noon was sworn in as the seventh Prime Minister of Pakistan.

1958

On October 7, Iskander Mirza abolished the constitution and enforced martial law. General Ayub Khan was named Chief Martial Law Administrator.
On October 27, Ayub Khan became the country’s 2nd President after Iskander Mirza resigned.

1959

On 10 April, an English Electric Canberra of the Indian Air Force was shot down by an F-86F Sabre of the Pakistan Air Force over Rawat.

1960s

1960

In 1960, Ayub Khan became the first elected president.
On 1 May, an American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down by Soviet forces. The flight had taken off from the U.S. base at Badaber near Peshawar, Pakistan.
On 19 September, Pakistan and India signed the Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank.

1962

On 8 June, the 1962 Constitution was promulgated. Ayub Khan took the oath as the first President of Pakistan under the new constitution.

1963

In 1963, the Third Balochistan conflict began by Baloch militants.

1965

In August, Operation Gibraltar was initiated by Pakistan but failed to complete its objective.
On 6 September, full-scale war erupted between Pakistan and India over Kashmir.
On 23 September, the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 ended with a ceasefire.

1966

On 10 January, Pakistan and India signed the Tashkent Declaration to end hostilities.

1967

On 30 November, the Pakistan Peoples Party was founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Lahore.

1968

On 7 November, the 1968–69 Pakistan revolution began.

1969

On 25 March, Ayub Khan resigned; Yahya Khan declared martial law and assumed presidency.
In 1969, the Third Balochistan conflict ended with negotiations led to a ceasefire and general amnesty.

1970s

1970

On 7 December, the 1970 Pakistani general election were held.
On 30 December, a Pakistan International Airlines F27 crashed short of the Shamshernagar Airport runway, killing seven of the 31 passengers.

1971

On 25-26 March, the Pakistan Army started a crackdown on Bengali populace, starting the Bangladesh liberation war.
On 16 December, the Bangladesh Liberation War ended. Pakistani forces surrendered to the Mitro Bahini.

1972

In 1972, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became president.
On 20 January, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto announced that Pakistan would begin a nuclear weapons programme.

1973

On 10 April, the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan was enacted by the National Assembly.
On 14 August, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became prime minister.

1974

In 1974, Pakistan recognized Bangladesh.

1977

On 5 July, Operation Fair Play, General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq overthrew prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and declared martial law.

1978

On 4 April, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged.
On 16 September, General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Pakistan's sixth president.

1979

In 1979, the military ruler Zia Ul-Haq enacted the Hudood Ordinances.
On 3 July, Operation Cyclone began to aid Mujahideen forces in Afghanistan.
On 3 November, the burning of the U.S. embassy in Islamabad occurred.

1980s

1980

In 1980, the United States pledged military assistance to Pakistan following the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.

1981

On 2 March, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 326 was hijacked by armed men belonging to Al-Zulfiqar.

1982

In 1982, Pakistan built its first workable nuclear device.

1983

On 12 February, the 1983 women's march in Lahore occurred, with 50 women arrested.
In August–September, the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy arranged nationwide protests against Zia ul Haq.

1984

On 18 March, Azeem Ahmed Tariq & Altaf Hussain founded the MQM in Karachi and Hyderabad.

1985

On 28 February, general elections were held; Muhammad Khan Junejo became prime minister.
In August, Mujahideen under the command of Pakistani ISI brigadier general Mohammad Yousuf started raids inside the Soviet Union.

1986

In February, Pakistan Soviet air confrontations occurred.
In April, during the Second Battle of Zhawar, an Afghan aerial assault group accidentally landed inside Pakistan. 120 personnel and 6 Mi-8 were captured by Pakistani forces.
On 5 September, Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked at Karachi International Airport by four Abu Nidal terrorists.

1987

On 14 July, the 1987 Karachi car bombing killed 72 and wounded 250.
In September, a bomb exploded in a bus station in Rawalpindi, killing at least 5 people and injuring 16.

1988

On 17 August, General Zia-ul-Haq was killed in a plane crash near Bahawalpur.
On 30 September, anti-Sindhi violence killed more than 200 Sindhis in Karachi and Hyderabad.
On 16 November, new elections were held; Benazir Bhutto became prime minister after the 1988 Pakistani general election.

1990s

1990

On 4 January, the Sukkur rail disaster killed more than 300 people.
In 1990, clashes between Muhajirs and Sindhis led to the death of 190 civilians.

1991

In 1991, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif began an economic liberalisation programme.

1992

On 28 September, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 crashed into the southern slope of the Chure Hills on approach to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, killing all 167 passengers and crew.

1993

On 18 July, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif both resigned under pressure from the military. Benazir Bhutto became prime minister for the second time.

1994

In May–June, the start of the MQM insurrection (1994-present) occurred, with 750 people killed in riots.
On 1 November, the Malakand insurrection (1994-1995) by Islamist militants began.

1995

In October, the 1995 Pakistani coup attempt was foiled and coup plotters were arrested.
On 21 December, the 1995 Peshawar bombing killed at least 25 people and wounded 100.

1996

On 28 April, the Bhai Pheru bus bombing killed 50 people and injured 26.
On 5 November, President Farooq Leghari dismissed Bhutto's government.

1997

On 3 February, the 1997 Pakistani general election were held, and Nawaz Sharif became prime minister for the second time.

1998

On May 28, the first nuclear test — Codename Chagai-I was conducted.
On May 30, the second nuclear test Chagai-II was conducted.

1999

On 12 October, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was overthrown in a military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf.

2000s

2000

In April, after the military takeover, Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to life imprisonment.
In December, Nawaz Sharif went into exile to Saudi Arabia.

2001

On 15 September, the September 11 attacks in America resulted in Pakistan agreeing to cooperate with the campaign against Al Qaeda.
On 13 December, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack was blamed on Pakistan by India, leading to the 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff.

2002

On 22 February, American journalist Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered in Karachi.
On 30 April, General Pervez Musharraf won a referendum, ensuring 5 more years in office.
On 10 October, the 2002 Pakistani general election were held, the first since the 1999 military coup.

2003

On 14 December, General Musharraf survived an assassination attempt in Rawalpindi.
On 25 December, General Musharraf survived another assassination attempt.

2004

On 18 June 2004, the start of Drone strikes in Pakistan occurred, with the first known U.S. drone strike killing 5–8 people including Nek Muhammad Wazir and two children.

2005

On 8 October, the 7.6 Mw Kashmir earthquake affected Azad Kashmir, killing more than 79,000 people and displacing several million more.

2006

On 26 August, prominent Baloch leader and politician Sirdar Akbar Bugti was killed by the military.
On 8 November, the 2006 Dargai bombing killed 42 Pakistani Army soldiers.

2007

On 27 December, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, along with 20 others.

2008

On 18 August, Pervez Musharraf resigned.
On 6 September, Asif Zardari won the presidential election with 481 votes.
On 9 September, Asif Zardari took oath as President of Pakistan.

2009

On 16 February, the Pakistan government announced a truce with the Taliban, accepting a system of Islamic law in the Swat valley.
On 23 May, Pakistan Army launched Operation Rah-e-Rast and cleared Swat valley of all Taliban elements.

2010s

2010

On 8 October, the 7.6 Mw Kashmir earthquake affected Azad Kashmir, killing more than 79,000 people and displacing several million more.
In September, the 2010 Pakistan floods killed at least 1,600 people.

2011

On 2 May, the US Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden in the city of Abbottabad.
On 26 September, the Salala incident occurred, killing 24 soldiers. The US apologized for the incident, and NATO routes were reopened.

2012

On 9 October, 15-year-old blogger Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban.
On 20 December, the Mohmand offensive ended in a Pakistani victory.

2013

On 11 May, the 2013 Pakistani general election were held.
On 5 June, Nawaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan for the third time.
On 22 September, the Peshawar church bombing killed 127 people.
On 24 September, the 2013 Balochistan earthquakes killed 825 people.

2014

On 16 December, the 2014 Peshawar school massacre occurred, with 148 people killed.
On 10 October, activist Malala Yousafzai became the first Pakistani to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

2015

On 2 November, the end of the 2014–2015 India–Pakistan border skirmishes occurred.

2016

On 27 March, the 2016 Lahore suicide bombing killed 75 people.
On 16 September, the 2016 September Pakistan mosque bombing killed 36 people.
On 7 December, PIA plane PK-661 crashed during flight, killing 47 people including Junaid Jumshed and his wife.

2017

On 28 July, a unanimous verdict by the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office.
On 21 August, Operation Khyber ended in a Pakistani victory.
On 5-27 November, the 2017 Tehreek-e-Labaik protest led to the resignation of the Federal Minister of Law and Justice.

2018

On 25 July, the 2018 Pakistani general election were held, and Imran Khan became Prime Minister of Pakistan with a majority.
On 31 October – 17 November, Pakistani troops took part in the 2018 Batangafo clashes.

2019

On 27 February, the Pakistan Air Force shot down two Indian warplanes in a skirmish and captured Indian pilot wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
On 2 March, Pakistan released Abhinandan Varthaman and returned him to India in a simple ceremony via Wagha border.

2020s

2020

On February 26, the first two cases of COVID-19 were reported in Pakistan.
On May 22, Pakistan International Airlines Flight 8303 crashed in Karachi, Sindh, killing 97 of the 99 people on board as well as one on the ground.
On June 29, the Pakistan Stock Exchange attack in Karachi left at least 8 people dead including 4 perpetrators.

2021

On 15 August, the Fall of Kabul occurred.
On 30 August, the 2020–2021 U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was complete, and Pakistan became the largest base for coalition evacuees.
On 7 October, the 2021 Balochistan earthquake killed at least 42 people and injured 300 others.

2022

On 10 April, Imran Khan was removed from the post of Prime Minister of Pakistan through a no-confidence motion.
On 11 April, Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
On 14 June – October, the 2022 Pakistan floods occurred.
On 3 November, an attempted assassination of Imran Khan occurred.

2023

On 30 January, the 2023 Peshawar mosque bombing occurred, with 84 people killed and over 200 others injured.
On 9 May, the arrest of Imran Khan and the May 9 riots occurred.
On 10 August, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
On 21 October, former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan after four years in self-imposed exile in London.

2024

On 8 February, the 2024 Pakistani general election were held while results were disputed and delayed with allegations of rigging widespread.
On 3 March, Shehbaz Sharif took office as Prime Minister of Pakistan for a second term with support from a coalition of the PML-N and PPP.
On 9 May, the one-year anniversary of the May 9 riots was commemorated by both the PTI and Government of Pakistan. PTI announced protests and processions.