KSB Politics

The roots of General Pervez Musharraf’s rise to power lie in the Kargil War of 1999. This conflict, secretly initiated by the Pakistani military high command under Musharraf, turned into a diplomatic and military failure. While Nawaz Sharif, then Prime Minister, sought to distance himself from the debacle by blaming the army, Musharraf and his allies shifted the narrative against Sharif, claiming he compromised Pakistan’s position by negotiating a ceasefire in Washington without consulting military leadership. In retaliation, Nawaz Sharif decided to remove General Musharraf from his position as Chief of Army Staff while Musharraf was on an official visit to Sri Lanka. On 12 October 1999, as Musharraf’s plane approached Pakistan, orders were issued to divert it mid-air, effectively denying him entry into the country. The pilot insisted there wasn’t enough fuel to land elsewhere, leading to a standoff. Meanwhile, key generals loyal to Musharraf, including Lt. Gen. Aziz Khan...

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Second Term (1997–1999): Constitutional Power, Nuclear Tests & Political Clashes For political background, read the article on Nawaz Sharif’s First Term (1990–1993) . Introduction In the 1997 general elections, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, secured a historic victory. This marked Nawaz Sharif’s second tenure as Prime Minister—his first under the official banner of PML-N, having previously led under the IJI (Islami Jamhoori Ittehad) alliance. These elections saw not only the continued rivalry between PML-N and PPP but also the entry of a third force: Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), making its electoral debut. 1997 General Elections: A Landmark Win PML-N won approximately 66% of the popular vote, securing 137 out of 207 National Assembly seats , granting them a rare two-thirds majority. This gave Nawaz Sharif unprecedented legislative power, enabling constitutional amendments without needi...