1993 in Pakistan

← 1992 1991 1990 1993 in Pakistan → 1994 1995 1996
Centuries:	20th 21st
Decades:	1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
See also:	Other events of 1993 List of years in Pakistan

The year 1993 saw political unrest within Pakistan as president Ghulam Ishaq Khan and prime minister Nawaz Sharif duelled for supremacy. Khan dissolved Sharif's government, only for it to be restored by a Supreme Court verdict.

While Pakistan moved closer to peaceful negotiations with Afghanistan, its relationships continued to worsen with India over the Kashmir issue and the 1993 Bombay bombings. Meanwhile, the United States imposes stricter sanctions on Pakistan and any country that traded with Pakistan.

Incumbents

Federal government

• President
  • Ghulam Ishaq Khan: until 18 July 1993
  • Wasim Sajjad: 18 July – 13 November 1993 (caretaker)
  • Farooq Laghari: since 13 November 1993
• Prime Minister
  • Nawaz Sharif: until 18 April 1993
  • Balakh Sher Mazari: 18 April – 26 May 1993 (caretaker)
  • Nawaz Sharif: 26 May – 18 July 1993
  • Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi: 18 August – 19 October 1993 (caretaker)
  • Benazir Bhutto: since 19 October 1993

Events

January

• January 8 – The United States decides against branding Pakistan a terrorist nation.^[1]
• January 9 – The US president-elect Bill Clinton gives Pakistan six months to refute Indian charges that it is sponsoring international terrorism.^[2]

February

• February 5 – Kashmir Solidarity Day is observed for the very first time in Pakistan.

March

• March 7 – Political groups from Afghanistan sign the Islamabad Accord in Pakistan, forming a coalition until elections can be held.^[3][4]
• March 17 – Mian Zahid Sarfaraz demands an early dissolution of the National Assembly.^[5]
• March 27 – Hamid Nasir Chattha and three other ministers resign from the federal cabinet.^[5]

April

• April 2 – The Pakistan government vows to crack down on Arab militants.^[6]
• April 4
  • India presents evidence implicating Pakistan in the 1993 Bombay bombings.^[7]
  • The federal cabinet nominates Ghulam Ishaq Khan as the president for a second term.^[5]
  • 3 MNAs resign from the National Assembly.^[5]

• April 8
  • After a crack down on illegal immigrants, hundreds of Arab nationals are arrested on suspected links to Islamic militants.^[8]
  • 92 MNAs tender their resignation from the house.
• April 13 – Crack down continues against illegal Arab immigrants to prevent any extremists among them from using Pakistan to foment violence in other countries.^[9]
• April 18
  • President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolves the National Assembly, dismissing the Sharif cabinet.
  • Balakh Sher Mazari is appointed the caretaker prime minister.
• April 19 – Federal ministers in the Mazari caretaker ministry are sworn into office and handed ministerial portfolios.

May

• May 23 – In record busts against drug smugglers in southeastern Balochistan, navy officers seize 132,000 pounds of hashish and 440 pounds of heroin.^[10]
• May 26 – The Supreme Court restores the National Assembly and prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

June

• June 5 – 24 Pakistani soldiers are massacred in Somalia while serving with a UN peacekeeping mission.
• June 16 – Bosnian Muslim refugees leave Croatia for Pakistan.^[11]

July

• July 18
  • After weeks of negotiations with army chief Gen Abdul Waheed Kakar, both president Khan and prime minister Sharif resign from their posts.
  • Wasim Sajjad becomes the caretaker president.
• July 20 – The US threatens to impose sanctions on China if it continues to ship missiles to Pakistan in defiance of an international agreement.^[12]

August

• August 18 – Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi becomes the caretaker prime minister.

October

• October 6 – General elections are held. PPP wins 86; PML-N secures 72 seats.
• October 19 – Benazir Bhutto becomes the prime minister by 121 votes for a second time.^[13]

November

• November 4 – Police arrest Murtaza Bhutto, the brother of PM Bhutto, moments after his plane landed in Pakistan ending his 16 years in exile.^[14]
• November 9 – Fire rages through the National Assembly building, destroying the main chamber. According to PTV, the cause is believed to be an electric short circuit.^[15]
• November 13 – Farooq Laghari is sworn in as the eighth elected president of Pakistan.
• November 24 – India and Pakistan agree to resume talks on the Kashmir issue.^[16]

December

• December 16 – Pakistan accuses India of stepping up attacks on civilians in Kashmir.^[17]
• December 28 – Pakistan begins a campaign to eradicate polio.^[18]

Deaths

• January 8 – Gen Asif Nawaz dies of a heart attack in Rawalpindi.
• March 18 – Former prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo dies in a hospital in the United States undergoing treatment for leukaemia.^[19]

See also

• 1992 in Pakistan
• Other events of 1993
• 1994 in Pakistan
• Timeline of Pakistani history

References

1. Gedda, George (8 January 1993). "US decides against branding Pakistan a terrorist nation". Washington: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
2. Gannon, Kathy (9 January 1993). "Clinton asks Pakistan to prove it does not back terrorism". Islamabad: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
3. Afghanistan Human Rights Practices, 1993 - U.S. Department of State
4. Afghan Peace Accord (Islamabad Accords)
5. "Nawaz Sharif (1990-1993); Perspective on Current Debate". Pakistani Spectator. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
6. Gannon, Kathy (2 April 1993). "Pakistan vows to expel thousands of Arab militants". Islamabad: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
7. Joshi, Vijay (4 April 1993). "Newspapers: Evidence implicates Pakistan in Bombay blasts". New Delhi: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
8. Gannon, Kathy (7 April 1993). "Pakistan cracks down on illegal Arabs". Islamabad: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
9. Gannon, Kathy (13 April 1993). "Pakistan cracks down on illegal Arab immigrants". Peshawar: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
10. Associated Press (23 May 1993). "Pakistan sets new record for drug busts". Islamabad: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
11. Kuzmanovic, Jasmina (16 June 1993). "Bosnian Muslim refugees to leave Croatia for Pakistan". Promajna, Croatia: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
12. Schweid, Barry (20 July 1993). "Sanctions threatened over sales to Pakistan". Washington: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
13. Timeline: Pakistan's political rivals - BBC News
14. Hussain, Zahid (4 November 1993). "Bhutto's brother arrested after returning to Pakistan". Karachi: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
15. Myre, Greg (9 November 1993). "Pakistan parliament burns". Islamabad: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
16. Joshi, Vijay (24 November 1993). "India, Pakistan agree to resume talks on Kashmir". New Delhi: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
17. Altaf, Musfirah (16 December 1993). "Pakistan accuses India of killing Kashmiri civilians". Islamabad: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
18. Pakistan aims to eradicate Polio - BBC News Online: Despatches
19. Associated Press (18 March 1993). "Former prime minister dies in U.S.". Islamabad: Associated Press. Retrieved 13 July 2014.