The 1993 Elections
Background
On April 18, 1993, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif on the charges of corruption, nepotism, terrorizing the opposition, violation of the Constitution and subversion of the authority of the military. He again used his power under article 58 (2)(b) of the 1973 constitution. However, he had the confidence of the blessings of the Army Chief and the leader of opposition, Benazir Bhutto, before removing the government. He announced the fresh date of election to be on July 14, 1993 and appointed Sher Baz Khan Mazari as caretaker Prime Minister. Nevertheless, Nawaz Sharif challenged this dissolution of government in the Supreme Court. On May 26, 1993, Supreme Court restored the government of Nawaz Sharif unanimously. Nawaz Sharif returned to the office with legal and constitutional legitimacy, however, between him and President Ishaq Khan there remained strains.
During this crisis, Mian Nawaz Sharif had to face division within PML. After the death of Muhammad Khan Junejo, on March 18, 1993, several members of PML sided with President Ishaq Khan vis-à-vis Nawaz Sharif and elected Hamid Nasir Chatha as their leader. They formed the new faction of PML known as the PML-Junejo (PML-J), which vehemently opposed Nawaz Sharif in the 1993 political crisis. Meanwhile, this faction of PML with the help of PPP and independent candidates removed the Punjab Chief Minister, Ghulam Hyder Wayne, a close confidant of Nawaz Sharif, through a vote of no-confidence. Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, the then Speaker of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, succeeded him.
When the Supreme Court restored the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif, he decided to move vote of no confidence against the Wattoo government. When members of the PML-N filed a notice for a vote-of-no-confidence in Wattoo in Punjab Assembly, the Chief Minister advised the Provincial Governor to dissolve the Provincial Assembly on May 29, 1993. However, the Punjab High Court restored the Punjab Assembly on June 28, 1993. Shortly afterwards, the Governor again dissolved the Provincial Assembly on a new advice from the Chief Minister, Manzoor Wattoo.
This political crisis became lengthy and Mian Nawaz Sharif advised the President to replace governor of the Punjab with his nominee, Mian Muhammad Azhar to which president Ishaq Khan refused to act. Nawaz Sharif summoned the joint session of the Parliament and got resolution to take control of the Punjab administration on June 29. Following this, Mian Nawaz Sharif appointed