Historical Dictionary of Pakistan

CHRONOLOGY • xxxv1985 1 January: Non-Islamic banking was abolished. 12 January:The election schedule was announced by President Zia ul-Haq. 25 February:General elections were held for the 200-member National Assembly.23 March: Muhammad Khan Junejo was invited by GeneralZia ul-Haq to form a civilian Cabinet. 1 July: The economy was declaredto be in conformity with Islam. 30 December: Martial law waslifted.1986 18 January: Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo waselected chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League. 10 April: BenazirBhutto returned to Pakistan and addressed a mammoth public meetingin Lahore. 23 July: The National People’s Party (NPP) was formed underthe chairmanship of Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi. 8 August: The seventhround of “proximity talks” between Afghanistan and Pakistan on theAfghanistan issue were suspended in Geneva. 14 August: The Movementfor the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) launched a campaignagainst the government, demanding new general elections. 16 August:Benazir Bhutto was arrested in Karachi. 6 September: Benazir Bhuttowas released from prison. 20 November: Army troops were called outto assist police in quelling riots in Karachi. 13 December: The Pakistanigovernment launched an operation to remove 20,000 Afghanrefugees from Sohrab Goth in Karachi. 22 December: A new federalCabinet was sworn into office by President Zia ul-Haq, with MuhammadKhan Junejo as prime minister.1987 25 February: Eighth round of “proximity talks” between thegovernments of Pakistan and Afghanistan began in Geneva under theauspices of the United States with Diego Cordovez, undersecretary forpolitical affairs, providing the link between the two delegations. 30 November:Local body elections were held in the four provinces of Pakistan.18 December: Benazir Bhutto married Asif Ali Zardari inKarachi.1988 10 April: An explosion in the ammunition depot in Ojheri, anarmy camp near Rawalpindi and Islamabad, killed 100 people while injuringanother 1,000. 15 May: Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejoexpanded the federal cabinet to 33 members by taking in five new ministersand three new ministers of state. 29 May: President Zia ul-Haqdismissed the government of Prime Minister Junejo, dissolved the NationalAssembly, and ordered new elections to be held within 90 days.