Timeline: Musharraf and Pakistan
Monday, 18 Aug 2008 12:35
Pervez Musharraf timeline from inthenews.co.uk
Pakistan In Focus
Pervez Musharraf's resignation leaves a big hole in Pakistani politics – one which analysts expect the west will look to the military to fill. Full Story
Pervez Musharraf has resigned as president of Pakistan amid the threat of impeachment charges.
We track the key events that shaped his political career and the country he led between 1999 and 2008.
Key:
Event in Pervez Musharraf's life
National event
Early life and military beginnings
August 11th 1943: Born in Delhi, India, to family of civilian servants
August 15th 1947: British India partitioned into India and Pakistan
October 21st 1947 to December 31st 1948: First Indo-Pakistani war
1961: Joins Pakistan military academy
1964: Commission in elite artillery regiment
1965: Sees action in second Kashmir war
1971: Takes part in Indo-Pakistani war in commando battalion
January 20th 1972: Prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto calls on Pakistani scientists to build atomic bomb
May 18th 1974: India carries out first nuclear test
Rise up the ranks
January 15th 1991: Promoted to major general and given command of infantry division
October 21st 1995: Given rank of lieutenant general and control of strike corps
1994-1996: Taliban seizes control of Afghanistan, Pakistan one of only three countries to recognise government
May 28th to 30th 1998: Pakistan carries out Chaghi and Kharan nuclear tests
May 28th 1998: US says it has no choice but to impose sanctions on Pakistan after condemnation of its escalation of 'nuclear arms race'
October 7th 1998: Promoted to rank of general
April 9th 1999: Assumed charge of chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee
May to July 1999: Clashes with Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif over Kargil war
Landing the coup
October 12th 1999: Mr Sharif's move to dismiss Pervez Musharraf as army chief rejected by senior generals.
Gen Musharraf's commercial flight prevented from landing at Karachi on Mr Sharif's orders, generals oust PM and allow Gen Musharraf to land.
Gen Musharraf becomes chief executive of Pakistan after bloodless coup d'etat, Mr Sharif placed under house arrest
Coup receives widespread international condemnation and Pakistan is suspended from Commonwealth
June 20th 2001: Gen Musharraf appoints himself president
September 11th 2001: Al-Qaida terrorists hijack of four commercial airliners in the US; two are crashed intentionally into the World Trade Centre, one crashes into the Pentagon and the fourth goes down in rural Pennsylvania. 2,998 people are killed
October 7th 2001: US president George Bush's war on terror begins with invasion of Afghanistan to oust Taliban and capture al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden
Gen Musharraf supports invasion and Pakistan removed from US list of rogue states
Ally of the west/Problems at home
January 12th 2002: Condemns terrorism and speaks out against Islamic extremism as security ties with the west are strengthened
April 30th 2002: Referendum to extend presidency to five years best by allegations of vote-rigging
October 10th 2002: General election grants pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (Q) party majority via coalition in national assembly
January 1st 2004: Survives vote of confidence from both houses of parliament and four provincial assemblies
May 2004: Pakistan reinstated as full Commonwealth member
May 7th 2005: Appoints Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as chief justice
March 2006 onwards: Raids on al-Qaida compound in tribal Pakistan lead to death of at least 300 militants
Beginning of the end
March 9th 2007: Suspends Mr Chaudhry as chief justice pending corruption charges
March 12th 2007: Lawyers refuse to attend court in protest at Mr Chaudhry's suspension
July 3rd 2007: Students at the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad seize control of the mosque
July 11th 2007: Security forces storm the mosque and end the siege as more than 100 people died
July 20th 2007: Supreme court reinstates Mr Chaudhry
September 10th 2007: Mr Sharif returns to Islamabad but prevented from leaving plane, flies back to Jeddah
October 18th 2007: Twice-former prime minister Benazir Bhutto ends self-imposed exile as she flies into Karachi. Assassination attempt after leaving airport fails but 136 people killed
Emergency rule
November 3rd 2007: Declares state of emergency; blames judiciary over interference and extremists for destabilising country
November 8th 2007: Places Ms Bhutto under house arrest
November 25th 2007: Mr Sharif flies back to Pakistan and is allowed to return to public life
November 28th 2007: Relinquishes army role
November 29th 2007: Takes oath for second term as civilian president
December 15th 2007: State of emergency ended
December 27th 2007: Ms Bhutto assassinated after rally in Karachi
February 18th 2008: General elections signal defeat for pro-Musharraf parties as coalition between Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's party (PPP) and Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N)
March 25th 2008: Swears PPP vice chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani in as prime minister
May 13th 2008: Pakistan readmitted to Commonwealth
August 7th 2008: PPP and PML (N) say they will prepare impeachment charges against Mr Musharraf
August 16th: Given until August 19th to resign or face impeachment charges
August 18th: Defends record but announces resignation in national address on state television