The Imran Khan government was the federal cabinet of Pakistan from 20 August 2018 to 10 April 2022. It was formed by Imran Khan, following general elections on 25 July 2018, which saw the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) come to power. The cabinet had 34 federal ministers, 7 ministers of state, 10 Advisers to the Prime Minister and 35 Special Assistants to the Prime Minister (SAPM), most of whom assumed office on 20 August 2018. On 10 April 2022 the government was defeated in a vote of no-confidence against Imran Khan, leading to its subsequent dissolution.
Various ministers and advisors of the cabinet had previously served in the military government of Pervez Musharraf, Out of a total of 21 ministers in 2018; 12 ministers had previously served under Musharraf, while 5 ministers served previously under PPP governments. The PTI ministry saw 4 different finance ministers (Asad Umar, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Hammad Azhar, Shaukat Tarin) from 2018 to 2022. By April 2021 the government had reshuffled six times. During its tenure, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, economic pressures, and corruption scandals involving Khan's aides and party, the army increased its influence in civilian governance, with military officials being appointed to various posts. Near the end of the government's tenure, Pakistan experienced surging inflation and the start of a severe years-long economic crisis in late 2021.
The Imran Khan government was described as a civil-military "hybrid regime", while Imran Khan frequently described himself and the military establishment as being on the "same page." However, later tensions developed between the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, eventually leading to a rift.
Policy initiatives of the government include the Ehsaas Programme, Kamyab Jawan Program, Plant for Pakistan, Raast, military extensions (Army, Navy, Airforce), Roshan Digital Account and the Sehat Sahulat Program.
Cabinet
Khan announced his cabinet soon after taking the oath, he kept the ministry of interior to himself. His choice for ministries was criticized as he came into power on the slogan of Change and Naya Pakistan but most of his appointees were previously ministers during the era of Pervez Musharraf and some served in PPP government which followed Musharraf era.
He was criticized by supporters and critics for settling for "Diet Reform" as Musharraf pursued rather than the real change that was embodied by the PTI.
To counter that, Imran Khan held meeting with the federal cabinet twice a week and monitor the ministers’ performances regularly.
As a result, Khusro Bakhtiar was shuffled 5 times although he had served as a minister during Musharraf's regime and PML-N coalition government
Shafqat Mehmood was assigned two portfolios and he was commended for his performance during COVID. He had also served as a minister during 1990s and Musharraf regime.
Farogh Naseem has been part of Musharraf's legal team representing him against treason charges which aroused speculation on PTI's stance on if Pervez Musharraf will be tried for treason. Tariq Bashir Cheema has been minister in a past PPP government.
Fehmida Mirza has been Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan in a PPP government.
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad was assigned the railways and interior ministry on the basis of his experience as a minister during the Musharraf and PML-N era.
Ghulam Sarwar Khan also served as a minister during Musharraf regime. Zubaida Jalal Khan was a minister and held the same portfolio during Musharraf era.
Fawad Chaudhry was media coordinator in the political party formed by Musharraf as well a special Assistant to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi held the same portfolio in a PPP government. Babar Awan also served in a past PPP government.
Malik Amin Aslam held same portfolio under Musharraf government but is more of a technocrat than a politician. Abdul Razak Dawood was commerce minister for Musharraf as well.
Omar Ayub Khan was the minister of state for finance in Shaukat Aziz's cabinet during the Pervez Musharraf regime. Ali Muhammad Mahar was the former Chief Minister of Sindh during the Musharraf regime.
Reshuffles Imran Khan reshuffled his cabinet for six times during his ministry. One of the cabinet reshuffles was on the directions of the Islamabad High Court that barred un-elected advisers and special assistants from heading the Cabinet committees.
On 18 April 2019, the cabinet saw a reshuffle after Asad Umar stepped down as the finance minister.
On 6 April 2020, the cabinet saw another reshuffle. In late April 2020, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz was appointed as the information minister. Meanwhile, retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa was appointed as special assistant to the prime minister for information replacing Firdous Ashiq Awan.
In December 2020, the federal cabinet saw the fourth reshuffle days after the Islamabad High Court ruled that unelected advisers and special assistants could not head government's committees.
In April 2021, Shaukat Tarin was appointed as finance minister, the fourth person to hold the post in the last two years, as Prime Minister Imran Khan made his sixth cabinet reshuffle since assuming power.
Federal Ministers +Federal ministers #NamePortfolioAssumed officeLeft officeParty 1Imran Khan Prime Minister All important policy issues and all other portfolios not allocated to any minister.18 August 2018 10 April 2022PTI2Shah Mahmood QureshiForeign Affairs20 August 201810 April 2022PTI3Pervez KhattakDefence20 August 201810 April 2022PTI4Fawad Chaudhry Information & Broadcasting20 August 2018 18 April 2019PTIScience and Technology18 April 201917 April 2021Information and Broadcasting 17 April 202110 April 2022Law and Justice1 April 202210 April 20225Asad UmarFinance, Revenue and Economic Affairs 20 August 201818 April 2019PTIPlanning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives19 November 201910 April 20226Shaukat Tarin Finance and Revenue17 April 202116 October 2021PTIFinance and Revenue27 December 202110 April 20227Hammad AzharEconomic Affairs 8 July 20196 April 2020PTIIndustries & Production 7 April 202017 April 2021Finance and Revenue29 March 202117 April 2021Energy17 April 202110 April 2022Revenue Division11 September 20187 July 20198Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad Railways20-08-201811-12-2020 AML(P)Interior11 December 202010 April 20229Khusro Bakhtiar Planning, Development and Reform 20 August 201818 November 2019PTIStatistics11 December 20184 April 2019National Food Security & Research 19 November 20196 April 2020Economic Affairs7 April 202017 April 2021Industries & Production17 April 202110 April 202210Shafqat MahmoodFederal Education and Professional Training20 August 201810 April 2022PTINational History, and Literary Heritage Division20 August 201810 April 202211Ijaz Ahmed ShahParliamentary Affairs 2 April 201917 April 2019PTIInterior18 April 201911 December 2020Narcotics Control11 December 202010 April 202212Syed Fakhar ImamNational Food Security and Research6 April 202010 April 2022PTI13Omar AyubPower Division11 September 201810 April 2022PTIPetroleum Division 6 May 201917 April 2021Economic Affairs17 April 202110 April 202214Ghulam Sarwar KhanPetroleum Division20 August 201817 April 2019PTIAviation18 April 201910 April 202215Ali Haider ZaidiMaritime Affairs11 September 201810 April 2022PTI16Murad SaeedState & Frontier Regions (State Minister)11 September 201817 September 2018PTICommunications (State Minister)18 September 201816 December 2018Postal Services (State Minister)26 October 201816 December 2018Communications17 December 201810 April 2022Postal Services17 December 20183 February 202017Azam SwatiScience & Technology 5 October 20186 December 2018PTIParliamentary Affairs 19 April 20197 April 2020Narcotics Control7 April 202011 December 2020 Railways11 December 202010 April 202218Farogh NaseemLaw and Justice20 August 201826 November 2019MQM-PLaw and Justice29 November 20191 June 2020Law and Justice24 July 20201 April 202219Syed Aminul HaqueInformation Technology and Telecommunication6 April 202031 March 2022MQM-P20Tariq Bashir CheemaStates and Frontier Regions20 August 20185 September 2018PML(Q)Housing and Works6 September 20181 April 202221Zubaida JalalDefence Production20 August 201810 April 2022BAP22Noor-ul-Haq QadriReligious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony20 August 201810 April 2022PTI23Shireen MazariHuman Rights20 August 201810 April 2022PTI24Fahmida MirzaCoordination20 August 201810 April 2022GDA25Ali Amin GandapurKashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan5 October 201810 April 2022PTI26Moonis ElahiWater Resources18 July 2021 10 April 2022PML(Q)27Muhammad Mian SoomroPrivatisation5 October 201810 April 2022PTIAviation Division12 December 201817 April 201928Shibli FarazInformation and Broadcasting 28 April 202011 March 2021PTIScience and Technology17 April 202110 April 202229Sahabzada Mehboob SultanNational Food Security & Research5 October 201818 November 2019PTIStates and Frontier Regions19 November 201910 April 202230Faisal VawdaWater Resources 5 October 20183 March 2021PTI31Abdul Hafeez ShaikhFinance, Revenue and Economic Affairs (As Adviser)19 April 201911 December 2020PTIFinance and Revenue11 December 202029 March 202132Khalid Maqbool SiddiquiInformation Technology and Telecommunication20 August 20187 April 2020MQM-P33Ali Mohammad Mahar Narcotics Control4 October 201821 May 2019PTI
Minister of State #NamePortfolioAssumed officeLeft officeParty1Shabbir Ali QureshiHousing and Works11 September 201810 April 2022PTI2Ali Muhammad KhanParliamentary Affairs17 September 201810 April 2022PTI3Zartaj GulClimate Change5 October 201810 April 2022PTI4Farrukh HabibInformation and Broadcasting29 April 202110 April 2022PTI5Shehryar AfridiInterior 31 August 201817 April 2019PTIState and Frontier Regions 18 April 201925 September 2020Narcotics Control10 June 201925 September 2020
Advisors +Advisors to the Prime MinisterNamePartyPortfolioStatusAssumed officeLeft office1Ishrat HussainPTIInstitutional Reforms and Austerity Federal Minister20 August 201810 April 20222Musaddiq AbbasiPTIInterior and AccountabilityFederal Minister26 January 202210 April 20223Abdul Razak DawoodPTICommerce, Textile, Industry & Production and InvestmentFederal Minister20 August 20186 April 2020Commerce and InvestmentFederal Minister7 April 202010 April 20224Babar AwanPTIParliamentary AffairsFederal Minister6 April 202010 April 20225Ayub AfridiPTIOverseas Pakistanis & Human Resource DevelopmentFederal Minister23 November 202110 April 20226Malik Amin AslamPTIClimate ChangeFederal Minister20 August 201822 July 20207Zaheer-ur-din Babar AwanPTIParliamentary AffairsFederal Minister20 August 20183 September 2018Parliamentary AffairsFederal Minister7 April 202010 April 20228Mirza Shahzad AkbarPTIAccountability & InteriorFederal Minister22 July 202024 January 20229Shaukat Fayaz Ahned TarinPTIFinance and RevenueFederal Minister17 October 202126 December 2021
Special Assistants