Second Benazir Bhutto government

The Second Benazir Bhutto government was formed on 19 October 1993, following general elections the same month and dissolved on 5 November 1996 by President Farooq Leghari.^: 118 During the beginning of her second term Benazir Bhutto entered into a much stronger government than in her first term and had greater experience in administration and civil-military relations. This owing to Peoples Parties governments in Sindh, NWFP (with the ANP) and Punjab (with PML-Jinnah), the election of PPP "loyalist" Farooq Leghari to the presidency, and greater relations with the Army under COAS Abdul Waheed Kakar and DG-ISI Javed Ashraf Qazi, who provided a conduit between the Army Chief and Prime Minister, as Benazir Bhutto respected the army's internal affairs and autonomy in her second term to avoid conflict. However, the government's stability suffered from economic mismanagement, growing instances of ethno-sectarian violence, increasing deadlock with the opposition PML(N), an antagonized upper-judiciary after Bhutto tried to "pack" the High Courts and later a political conflict with the President. The Army (now under Gen Jehangir Karamat) which previously remained neutral became concerned over the "fast deteriorating" economic and law-and-order situation, submitting the President a report warning of "economic disaster".

The last straw came in September 1996 when Bhutto's brother, Murtaza was assassinated following tensions between the two. By mid-October, senior military officials no longer believed the government had the required competence, and therefore supported Farooq Leghari in the political conflict between President and Prime Minister. Prior to this Farooq Leghari had already met with Nawaz Sharif and discussed the dismissal of the government. Confident in military support and to pre-empt a PPP-PML(J) vote of no confidence in Punjab, as well as due to economic conditions the President dismissed the government of Benazir Bhutto on 5 November 1996.