Prime Minister of Pakistan departure of Pervez Musharraf allowed Asif Zardari to become President. In 2010, the XVIII Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan was passed to reverse the XVII amendment; it returned the country to being a parliamentary democratic republic. In addition, the XVIII Amendment removed all powers of the presidency to dissolve the Parliament unilaterally and sweep away the powers amassed by the former presidents Pervez Musharraf and Zia-ul-Haq to maintain a delicate check and balance. Following a contempt of court case, the Supreme Court permanently disqualified Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani. Originally, the PPP nomination was Makhdoom Shahbuddin, but he was
Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Elahi had worked as a Senior minister in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, another post without any reasonable powers. Previously, the Senior minister post was occupied by Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, in the governments of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, respectively. On 25 June 2012, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi was appointed as the first Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan. He also holds different offices in the federal cabinet. The post, for which there is nonconstitutional provision, was a result of the agreement between the Government and PML-Q leadership. The notification described that Elahi's