Benazir Bhutto: (2nd Term)

Though the PPP won the most seats (86 seats) in the election but fell short of an outright majority, with
the PML-N in second place with 73 seats in the parliament. On 19 October 1993, Benazir Bhutto was
sworn as prime minister for second term allowing her to continue her reform initiatives.

Benazir Bhutto learned a valuable experience and lesson from the president of Ghulam Ishaq Khan, and
the presidential elections were soon called after her re-election. After carefully examining the
candidates, Benazir Bhutto decided to appoint Farooq Leghari as for her president, in which, Leghari
sworned as 8 President of Pakistan on 14 November 1993,

Achievements:

She was keen to improve social services. She talked about her concern for women's social and health
issues, including the issue of discrimination. She announced plans to establish women's police stations,
courts and development banks. She entered into co-operative arrangements with United States and
restored United Nations peacekeeping operations under which Pakistan sent 5000 troops to Somalia,

After the 1973 general elections, the privatization programme of state-owned banks and utilities
accelerated more than Rs 42 billion was raised from the sale of nationalized corporations and industries,
and another US $20 Billion from the foreign investment made the United States causing some reduction
in Pakistan's trade deficit.

The second tenure of Benazir Bhutto was, however, highlighted by the visit of the US first Lady Hillary
Clinton and her daughter Chelsea in 1995. Hillary's visit considerably changed the world's perceptiong
about Pakistan and highlighted Pakistan as a liberal, modern and forward looking couptry. In April 1994,
Benazir visited the US, and projected Pakistan's stance on the F- 16 fighter planes withheld by the US
despite payments. Her visit resulted in the passing of the brown amendment by the US senate on
September 21, 1995, easing economic and military sanctions and restrictions on Pakistan. It also helped
in attracting foreign investors. She successfully managed to get loan and grant assistance from World
Bank and IMF resulting in slight rise in foreign Exchange reserves.
Problems Faced:

Nawaz Sharif and (Pakistan Muslim League) PML proved to be major problems. They worked tirelessly to
damage the image of Bhutto's government. In 1994, Sharif began a "Train March which took him from
Karachi to Peshawar during which he campaigned and gave speeches infront of crowds. He played a
major role in organizing strikes across Pakistan in September and October of 1994. Benazir took decisive
action and arrested opposition members who had taken part in these strikes that increased even more
opposition

Another issue faced by Benazir was that of family feuds, Benazir did not have good relations with her
family particularly her mother, Nusrat Bhutto, as they quarreled over the control of PPP after Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto's death. Her mother also preferred her brother, Murtaza as leader, which further worsened
relations. Murtaza had gone into exile and founded the Al-Zulfiqar organization, which he used to
criticize her sister for betraying her father's principles. He also opposed the involvement of Asif Ali
Zardari in the PPP. This situation proved to be difficult for Benazir however she arrested her brother on
the basis of terrorism when he returned and also removed her mother from a leading position of PPP. In
September 1996 Murtaza was killed in a police ambush however none of the policemen were arrested
and x judicial review suggested that perhaps the government played a par which worsened Benazir's
support and image.

Benazir Bhutto also intensified her policy on Indian Kashmir by rallying against India. Benazir Bhutto,
accompanied by her then speaker of the national assembly Yusuf Raza Gillani at the inter-parliamentary
union at the United Nations gavea vigorous and intensified criticism to India which upset and angered
the Indian delegation headed by prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

In 1996, Benazir Bhutto attacked the Indian dear programme and warned India of "Tragic
Consequences". Bhutto criticized Indian held Kashmir and described it as the worst example of "Indian
Stubbornness'. Benazir also countered Indian allegation for Pakistan's alleged nuclear test as "Baseless
Allegation. Bhutto criticized India as a bid to hide its plan to explode a nuclear device, and failure to
cover up its domestic problems including its failure in suppressing the freedom struggle in Kashit,

Bhutto always resisted privatization of United Bank Limited Pakistan (UBL), but its management sent the
recommendation for the privatization, which dismayed the labor union. The united group of employees'
management asked Bhutto for issue of regulation sheet which she denied The holding of UBL in
government control turned out to be a move that ended in "Disaster" for Bhutto's government

The racial violence in Karachi was reached at peak and became a biggest problem for Benazir Bhutto to
counter The MQM attempted to make an alliance with Benazir Bhutto under her own conditions, but
Benazir Bhutto refused. Soon the second operation Operation Blue Fox was launched to wipe the MQM
from country's political spectrum. The results of this operation remains inconclusive and resulted in
thousands killed or gone missing, with majority being Urdu speaking, Bhutto demanded the MQM to
surrender to her government unconditionally.

Overall, the living standard for people in Pakistan declined as inflation and unemployment grew at an
exponential rate particularly as United Nations (UN) sanctions began to take effect. During her first and
second term, the difference between rich and poor visibly increased. According to calculation the rich
were statistically Improved and the poor declined in terms of living a standards. The GDP growth rate
was approximately 4.37% in 1993, which fell to approximately 1.70% in 1996, before Bhutto's dismissal.
Pakistan suffered a currency crisis when the government failed to arrest the 30% fall in the value of the
Pakistani rupee from Rs. 21 to Rs. 30 compared to the United States dollar. By the 1990's, Bhutto's
government had also ultimately lost the currency war with the indian rupee which beat the value of
Pakistan rupee for the first time.

The Pakistan coup attempt, Coup D'ETAT (Blow of state), of 1995 was a secretive plot hatched by
military officers against the government of Benazir Bhutto, the prime minister of Pakistan. The plotters
aimed to overthrow the constitutional government and establish a military rule in Pakistan. The plot was
halted after the intelligence agencies tipped off the Pakistan army. The military intelligence led the
arrest of 36 army officers and 20 civilians in Rawalpindi. Benazir was angered and dismayed, therefore a
full-fledged running court martial was formed by Benazir Bhutto. By the 1996, all of the dissident officers
were jalled by the Pakistan army and a report was submitted to the prime minister.

In her 2nd tem, she failed to achieve much and even failed to implement any legislation to bring her
beliefs into being.

Dismissal:

Despite the relations of Benazir and the president being good initially, during Benazir's second term,
their relation deteriorated. Initially the president Leghari had promised to revoke the 8th amendment
Hawes he ended up using it and dismissed Benazir on 5th November 1996.