Nawaz Sharif was deported to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on Monday hours after his dramatic return to the country from a seven-year exile. Here’s is how he was sent into exile the first time.
Twice PM, twice ousted
Born on December 25, 1949 in Lahore, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), was twice elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan but was not able to complete his term on both occasions.
His first term was from November 1, 1990 to July 18, 1993. The then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved the National Assembly cutting short his rule.
The second term from February 17, 1997 to October 12, 1999 ended abruptly when he was overthrown by General Pervez Musharraf.
Coup and exile
Sharif’s popularity reached a peak when his government carried out atomic tests on May 28, 1998. Soon after that, Sharif undertook a major peace initiative with India in February 1999.
But the surprise invasion of Indian territory in Kargil in the summer of 1999 proved to be a major blow to his regime. Sharif claims the attack was launched by Musharraf without his knowledge.
The chain of events after Kargil war let to the overthrow of Sharif government in a coup on October 12, 1999. On July 22, 2000, Sharif was sentenced to 14 years' jail for allegedly obstructing the landing of a plane carrying Musharraf and banned from public office for 21 years on corruption charges.
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