OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies: Pakistan into the 21st Century (9236)

Pakistan into the 21st Century: from Independence to 2022 is topic 3.1.2 of OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies 9236, a compulsory topic examined in Paper 1, Section B. It covers how Pakistan’s constitution and political system developed after 1947, the governments from Pervez Musharraf to 2022, Pakistan’s international relations, and women’s empowerment. Questions range from multiple choice and short answers to extended responses that ask you to explain and reach a judgement.

Syllabus coverage

OXFORDAQA INTERNATIONAL GCSE PAKISTAN STUDIES (9236), VERSION 1.9 — 3.1.2

3.1.2.1 Politics, culture and the political structure of Pakistan since independence

• Challenges and opportunities facing independent Pakistan in 1947; Jinnah’s role as Governor-General
• Development of the constitution: the Objectives Resolution (1949) and the constitutions of 1956, 1962 and 1973; the roles of President and Prime Minister; federalism
• Democratic concepts: transparency, the rule of law, accountability; political parties, their formation, role and importance
• The constitutional role and cultural significance of Urdu; regional languages and national integration; sport and recreation

3.1.2.2 Political developments, 1999–2022

• Pervez Musharraf’s achievements and challenges
• Changes under Asif Ali Zardari, including the 18th and 19th Amendments; the 2013 elections and the PML-led government
• The 2018 elections and government policies 2018–2022
• The Covid-19 pandemic: government responses and impact

3.1.2.3 International relations

• India and Kashmir; China, including military ties and investment; Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; the USA and the impact of the US-led war in Afghanistan; the World Economic Crisis, the IMF and UN peacekeeping

3.1.2.4 Women’s empowerment in Pakistan

• Women in politics, society and culture, including Benazir Bhutto; education and healthcare, including the work of Dr Sania Nishtar; recent women’s rights legislation; equality by 2022

What challenges and opportunities did Pakistan face in 1947?

Challenges included an unfavourable boundary award, the refugee crisis, the delayed division of assets, the dispute over the waters of the Indus tributaries, the princely states (above all Kashmir) and building a government from scratch in Karachi. Opportunities included a strong sense of national purpose, agricultural land in Punjab and Sindh, and international recognition. As Governor-General, Jinnah organised the new administration, appealed for refugee relief, founded the State Bank (1948) and set out a vision of a tolerant state, but he died in September 1948.

How did Pakistan’s constitution develop?

Document	Key features
Objectives Resolution, 1949	Sovereignty belongs to Allah; democracy and Islamic principles; protection for minorities; later made part of the constitution
1956 Constitution	Islamic Republic; parliamentary system; President must be a Muslim
1962 Constitution	Presidential system under Ayub Khan; indirect elections
1973 Constitution	Federal parliamentary system; two-house parliament; Islam the state religion; still in force, with amendments

President and Prime Minister: under the 1973 Constitution the Prime Minister leads the government and is answerable to the National Assembly, while the President is head of state. Amendments have shifted power between them several times. Federalism means power is shared between the federal government and the provinces, with a Senate giving each province equal representation.

What democratic concepts and parties should you know?

Transparency means government decisions are open to scrutiny; the rule of law means everyone, including leaders, is subject to the law and courts; accountability means officials can be questioned and removed. Major parties include the Pakistan Muslim League factions (descended from the All-India Muslim League), the Pakistan People’s Party (founded 1967 by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (founded 1996 by Imran Khan), alongside regional and religious parties. Parties organise voters, form governments and act as opposition.

Why do Urdu, regional languages and sport matter?

The 1973 Constitution names Urdu as the national language. It links people across provinces and carries a rich literary tradition. Regional languages, including Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Saraiki and Brahui, are central to provincial identity and culture; respecting them supports national integration, while past disputes, such as the Bengali language movement, show the risks of ignoring them. Sport builds national pride: cricket (the 1992 World Cup win), field hockey (Olympic gold medals) and squash (Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan) are major examples.

What happened in Pakistani politics from 1999 to 2022?

Pervez Musharraf (1999–2008). He took power in October 1999 and became President in 2001. Achievements: strong economic growth in the mid-2000s, a local government system that devolved power to districts, expanded media freedom with private television channels, and reserved seats for women in assemblies. Challenges: joining the US-led campaign in Afghanistan after September 2001 brought aid but also militant violence; his dismissal of the Chief Justice in 2007 sparked the Lawyers’ Movement; he declared an emergency in November 2007 and resigned in 2008.

Asif Ali Zardari (President 2008–13). The 18th Amendment (2010) removed the President’s power to dissolve the National Assembly, devolved many subjects to the provinces, renamed the North-West Frontier Province as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and added a right to free education for children aged 5 to 16. The 19th Amendment changed the process for appointing senior judges. The 2013 elections were the first in which one elected government that had completed its term handed power to another.

PML-N government (2013–18). Under Nawaz Sharif, priorities included energy projects to end load-shedding, the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and military operations against militancy after the 2014 Peshawar school attack. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in 2017.

2018 elections and 2018–22. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf won the most seats and Imran Khan became Prime Minister. Policies included the Ehsaas social-protection programme, health insurance cards, the tree-planting drive and an IMF support programme in 2019. The government was removed by a no-confidence vote in April 2022.

Covid-19. The National Command and Operation Centre coordinated the response, with targeted “smart” lockdowns, emergency cash payments through Ehsaas and a vaccination campaign from 2021. The pandemic hurt daily-wage earners, closed schools and slowed the economy.

How have Pakistan’s international relations developed?

• India: Kashmir remains the core dispute; periods of dialogue have been broken by crises, such as the 2019 tensions after the Pulwama attack and India’s change to Kashmir’s status in August 2019; the Kartarpur Corridor (2019) was a gesture of goodwill.
• China: an “all-weather” partner; military co-operation, including the jointly developed JF-17 aircraft; CPEC investment in roads, power, Gwadar port and agriculture.
• Muslim world: close ties with Turkey; Saudi Arabia and the UAE provide financial support and employ many Pakistani workers whose remittances support the economy.
• USA: a key ally after 2001, giving aid but also tension over drone strikes and the 2011 Abbottabad raid; the Afghan war brought violence and refugees to Pakistan.
• Multinational bodies: the 2008 world economic crisis led to IMF support, with further programmes since; Pakistan is one of the largest contributors of troops to UN peacekeeping missions.

How far have women been empowered in Pakistan?

Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister in 1988, the first woman elected to lead a Muslim-majority country. Women have since served as Speaker of the National Assembly and Foreign Minister. Dr Sania Nishtar, a cardiologist, founded the health think-tank Heartfile and later led the Ehsaas poverty programme, which paid cash support directly to women. Legislation includes the Protection of Women Act (2006), the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act (2010) and the 2016 law against so-called honour killings. By 2022, girls’ school enrolment and women’s political representation had risen, but literacy, workforce participation and legal protection still lagged, especially in rural areas.

Frequently asked questions

What did the 18th Amendment do? It strengthened parliament and the Prime Minister by removing the President’s dissolution power, devolved many responsibilities to the provinces, renamed NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and made education for 5- to 16-year-olds a right.

Why was the 2013 election important? It was the first transfer of power from one elected government that had served a full term to another.

What is CPEC? The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, launched in 2015, a programme of Chinese investment in transport, energy and Gwadar port.

Related pages

• Pakistan into the 21st Century revision notes
• Paper 1 overview study guide
• Paper 1 practice questions

Source: OxfordAQA, International GCSE Pakistan Studies (9236) specification, Version 1.9, for exams May/June 2026 onwards, topic 3.1.2.