The 2008 Election
Background
The elections in 2008 are recognized as the triumph of political and democratic forces that paved the way for restoration of democracy and continuity of electoral process in the country. These elections were the end of long period of military dictatorship and dictator orchestrated democratic regime. In this election, the electorate rejected the authoritarian rule of the military government of General Pervez Musharraf and its close civilian allies.
In 2002 elections, the military government of General Pervez Musharraf strengthened due to success of military establishment by forming federal and provincial governments with the help of PML-Q and some other political parties and weakening the role of the major political adversaries like the PPP and the PML-N. In addition, when parliament provided constitutional cover to LFO (Legal Framework Order) in historic 17th amendment on December 26, 2003, it not only enhanced the powers of the President through unilateral amendments in the Constitution, but also legitimized the military rule, 1999-2002.
In order to legitimize his tenure, on December 30, 2003, General Musharraf obtained a vote of confidence in his Presidency from the Parliament and also from Provincial Assemblies. Nevertheless, he promised to shun his second portfolio as the CoAS by December 31, 2004. But Pervez Musharraf remain successful in holding the duel offices due to his political triumph that he achieved through the support of PML-Q and other allied parties. However, Musharraf continued his exploitation of the political forces, which caused estrangement also among those political forces that were initially stood by him. He made Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali to resign from the post of PM without any serious issues in June 2004. Shukat Aziz, the then-Finance Minister, was nominated as future PM before he was elected to the National Assembly.
However, his political downfall started, when as routine matters of his style of governance, on March 9, 2007, he called on the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to his office and directed him to resign from the post of Chief Justice by providing him charge sheet against him. However, Chief Justice refused to act, President General Musharraf first announced his removal, and then suspended him and sent a reference against him to the Supreme Judicial Council. This was the turning point because there started a nationwide protest lead by the lawyers and later joined by the political parties and other civil society groups. Addressing the reference case, supreme judicial council set aside the