October 12, 1999

• Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sacks COAS Gen Pervez Musharraf. Appoints ISI chief Gen Khwaja Ziauddin as new army chief.

• The army topples Nawaz govt. Seizes power. Nawaz, Shahbaz, other government leaders in detention.

• Gen Musharraf returns from Sri Lanka trip. Justifies coup as the last resort to “prevent any further destabilisation”. Declares himself chief executive of Pakistan.

Oct 13• Gen Musharraf meets President Rafiq Tarar.

Oct 14• Assemblies, Senate suspended. Constitution put in abeyance. Whole country given under the control of the army.

• President Tarar to continue in office.

Oct 30• Musharraf hints at holding referendum to legitimise his rule.

Nov 1• Nawaz, Shahbaz, many others booked for hijacking Musharraf’s plane, terrorism.

Nov 25• Nawaz accuses Musharraf of being vindictive, having personal vendetta.

Feb 6, 2000• Nawaz, Benazir never to be given power again: Musharraf

Feb 22• Judiciary will continue to work independently: Musharraf

March 8• Nawaz tells anti-terrorism court that his ouster was linked to differences on Kargil crisis.

April 6• Nawaz convicted, sentenced to life imprisonment in Musharraf plane hijacking case.

June 25• Musharraf government unveils constitutional amendment package. Parliament’s powers curtailed. President’s powers under 58-2(b) restored.

• Gen Musharraf issues Provisional Constitution Order (PCO). All judges to take fresh oath under PCO.

June 26• Eighty-nine of 102 superior court judges take fresh oath.

• Chief Justice of Pakistan, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, among those who refuse to take fresh oath under PCO.

• All four high court chief justices, Justice Rashid Aziz Khan (LHC), Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui (SHC), Justice Mian Mohammed Ajmal (PHC), and Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry (BHC) among 89 who take oath under PCO. Justice Irshan Hasan Khan installed as the new CJP

June 27• Deposed CJP Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui declares fresh oath as violation of constitution

June 20, 2001• Gen Musharraf forces President Tarar to step down. Takes over as the President of Pakistan. Dissolves all the assemblies.