What was the political situation in Pakistan from 1999-2002?
Answers
Answered by
2
On 14 October 1999, General Pervez Musharraf, Army Chief of Staff, declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Following the 12 October 1999 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. Musharraf officially became head of the Pakistani state on 20 June 2001.
Musharraf's takeover was unconstitutional, but there was silent approval by the majority of Pakistanis at the time. The Pakistani people believed the Army would bring sweeping changes to Pakistan by restoring the country's international image, eliminating widespread corruption, stabilizing the security situation, and providing jobs and hope to the general population. After 3 years of General Musharraf's rule, public enchantment with the Army had waned.
The 1999 coup was not the first attempt by the military to intervene in the chaotic political situation during the 1980s and 1990s. Musharraf's first blatant attempt to hang onto power was on 30 April 2002, when he held a referendum to confirm himself as president for the next 5 years. The government claimed a 60 percent turnout in which 97 percent of voters approved of Musharraf remaining as president. The press, international monitoring groups, human rights organizations, and all domestic political parties accused the government of electoral fraud. Independent observers put the turnout at between 10 and 20 percent.
Musharraf's takeover was unconstitutional, but there was silent approval by the majority of Pakistanis at the time. The Pakistani people believed the Army would bring sweeping changes to Pakistan by restoring the country's international image, eliminating widespread corruption, stabilizing the security situation, and providing jobs and hope to the general population. After 3 years of General Musharraf's rule, public enchantment with the Army had waned.
The 1999 coup was not the first attempt by the military to intervene in the chaotic political situation during the 1980s and 1990s. Musharraf's first blatant attempt to hang onto power was on 30 April 2002, when he held a referendum to confirm himself as president for the next 5 years. The government claimed a 60 percent turnout in which 97 percent of voters approved of Musharraf remaining as president. The press, international monitoring groups, human rights organizations, and all domestic political parties accused the government of electoral fraud. Independent observers put the turnout at between 10 and 20 percent.
Similar questions