Historical Dictionary of Pakistan

CHRONOLOGY • xxxixduring the administration of Benazir Bhutto. 12 September: The specialtribunal comprising Justice Munir A. Sheikh returned the “reference” toPresident Ghulam Ishaq Khan that had been filed by the presidentagainst former minister Jehangir Badr for want of sufficient evidence towarrant further proceedings. 20 September: President Ghulam IshaqKhan met with President Yang Shangkun of China in Beijing. 30 September:Benazir Bhutto appeared in Karachi before Justice WajihuddinAhmad in response to a “reference” filed against her by President IshaqKhan. 24 October: Elections were held all over Pakistan. Bhutto’s PPPlost in all the provinces to IJI, an alliance of rightist parties. 10 November:An 18-member federal government was sworn in by President GhulamIshaq Khan. Mian Nawaz Sharif became prime minister, while SartajAziz and Sahibzada Yaqub Khan stayed on as finance and foreignministers, respectively. 21 November: The fifth summit of the SouthAsian Association for Regional Cooperation was held in Male, Maldives.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with Chandra Shekhar, his Indiancounterpart. 9 December: While on a visit to Sindh, Prime MinisterMian Nawaz Sharif announced a special Rs. 12 billion program forthe development and reconstruction of the provincial economy. 15 December:The Cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Prime MinisterMian Nawaz Sharif decided to allow the establishment of passengerand cargo airlines in the private sector.1991 5 January: The government announced plans to distribute350,000 acres of land to the haris (landless peasants) in Sindh. 10 January:The government coalition, IJI, won the majority of the seats inthe national and provincial by-elections. 18 January: Demonstrationswere held all over Pakistan to protest the bombing of Iraq by the UnitedStates and other coalition forces. 25 January: Prime Minister MianNawaz Sharif met in Amman with King Hussein of Jordan to find a solutionto the crisis in the Gulf. 1 February: A devastating earthquakehit the northern areas of Pakistan. The death toll was estimated at morethan a thousand. 25 February: Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharifwent on a visit to China. 26 February: Foreign Minister SahibzadaYaqub Khan resigned from the Cabinet. 14 March: Elections were heldfor the Senate. The government coalition, IJI, maintained its control ofthe upper house. 20 July: Azad Kashmir President Abdul QayyumKhan resigned. 9 September: The Sindh High Court acquitted Asif AliZardari, Benazir Bhutto’s husband, of charges of fraud and corruption.