:1997 Pakistani general election

The PPP won the largest number of seats in the 1993 election and Benazir Bhutto became prime minister at the head of a coalition government.{{Cite web| url = http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2241_93.htm | title = ELECTIONS HELD IN 1993 | access-date = 11 November 2008 | publisher = Inter-Parliamentary Union}} However, on 5 November 1996, President Leghari, a former ally of Bhutto,{{Cite news| url = http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9702/17/briefs/pakistan/index.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110522165203/http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9702/17/briefs/pakistan/index.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 22 May 2011 | title = Sharif takes office as Pakistan's prime minister | access-date = 11 November 2008 | date = 17 February 1997 | publisher = CNN}} dismissed the government 2 years early for alleged corruption and abuse of power.{{Cite web| url = http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2241_97.htm | title = ELECTIONS HELD IN 1997 | access-date = 11 November 2008 | publisher = Inter-Parliamentary Union}} The allegations included financial mismanagement, failing to stop police killings, destroying judicial independence and violating the constitution.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9611/05/pakistan/index.html |title=Pakistan president fires Bhutto, calls new election |access-date=11 November 2008 |date=5 November 1996 |publisher=CNN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050909081306/http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9611/05/pakistan/index.html |archive-date=9 September 2005 }} A number of PPP party members were detained including Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari who was accused of taking commissions for arranging official deals.

A former speaker and member of the PPP Miraj Khalid was appointed interim prime minister. The National Assembly and provincial assemblies were dissolved and elections called for 3 February 1997. Bhutto denied all the charges against herself and petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse her dismissal. However, the court ruled in January that there was sufficient evidence for the dismissal to be justified legally.{{Cite news| url = http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9701/29/pakistan/index.html | title = Pakistani court upholds Bhutto's dismissal | access-date = 11 November 2008 | date = 29 January 1997 | publisher = CNN}}

Expectations in the lead up to the election were that up to 90 people, possibly including Bhutto and Sharif, might be prevented from standing in the election due to the caretaker governments campaign against corruption. However, by the end of December 1996 the government was forced to acknowledge that they were unable to find sufficient evidence to act against leading politicians. As a result, the election once again became mainly a contest between the PPP and the PML-N.{{cite news| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E5D81E31F936A15751C1A960958260 | title = Pakistan's Corruption Drive Falters, Creating Political Openings | access-date = 13 November 2008 | date = 25 December 1996 | newspaper = The New York Times | first=John F. | last=Burns}}

Over 6,000 candidates stood in the election, with 1,758 standing for the National Assembly and 4,426 for the four provincial assemblies.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9702/03/pakistan.elect/index.html |title=Violence mars voting as Pakistanis trickle to polls |access-date=13 November 2008 |date=2 February 1997 |publisher=CNN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050409144401/http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9702/03/pakistan.elect/index.html |archive-date=9 April 2005 }} Major campaign issues included corruption, the economy, ethnic and religious conflicts and growing terrorism. However, there was little enthusiasm for the fourth election in 8 years with polls showing only about 20% would vote.{{cite news | url = http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1997/02/03/1997-02-03_pakistan_vote_grips_emigres.html | title = PAKISTAN VOTE GRIPS EMIGRES | access-date = 13 November 2008 | date = 3 February 1997 | newspaper = Daily News }}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Predictions of a challenge by a new anti-corruption party, the Movement for Justice, founded by former cricketer Imran Khan, faded as Khan attempted to fend off personal attacks on PML(N) and Nawaz Sharif. Most forecasts expected Sharif's PML-N to win the election, with them drawing larger crowds than the PPP and appearing to be supported by the army.{{cite news| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E6D7103DF930A35751C0A961958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=3 | title = Is Bhutto Good, Bad or Ugly? Pakistanis Will Decide Today | access-date = 13 November 2008 | date = 3 February 1997 | newspaper = The New York Times | first=John F. | last=Burns}} Opinion polls showed the PML-N leading the PPP by about 40% to 20%.

The results saw the PML-N win a landslide victory, winning by the largest margin since the 1977 election.{{cite news| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00E2DE1F3DF936A35751C0A961958260 | title = Muslim Party Gets Huge Margin in Pakistan's Parliament | access-date = 13 November 2008 | date = 5 February 1997 | newspaper = The New York Times | first=John F. | last=Burns}} Bhutto's PPP was routed, and came second nationally with only 18 seats, and for the first time failing to win any seats in Punjab. Khan's Movement for Justice failed to win any seats. The turnout, at around 36%, was the lowest ever in the history of elections in Pakistan.{{cite news| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E6DB1E3DF937A35751C0A961958260 | title = Benazir Bhutto Loses Badly To Longtime Pakistan Rival | access-date = 13 November 2008 | date = 4 February 1997 | newspaper = The New York Times | first=John F. | last=Burns}} Voting in three seats was delayed; the subsequently by-elections saw two seats won by the PML(N) and one by the Awami National Party.Nohlen et al., pp680–687

{{Election results

|party1=Pakistan Muslim League (N)|votes1=8751793|seats1=135|sc1=+62

|party2=Pakistan Peoples Party|votes2=4152209|seats2=18|sc2=−71

|party3=Muttahida Qaumi Movement|votes3=764207|seats3=12|sc3=New

|party4=Pakistan Muslim League (J)|votes4=624286|seats4=0|sc4=−6

|party5=Awami National Party|votes5=357002|seats5=9|sc5=+6

|party6=Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto)|votes6=377228|seats6=1|sc6=New

|party7=Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)|votes7=325910|seats7=2|sc7=New

|party8=Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf|votes8=314820|seats8=0|sc8=New

|party9=Balochistan National Party|votes9=124754|seats9=3|sc9=New

|party10=National Peoples Party (Khar)|votes10=85121|seats10=1|sc10=0

|party11=Baloch National Movement|votes11=72354|seats11=0|sc11=New

|party12=Jamhoori Wattan Party|votes12=66128|seats12=2|sc12=0

|party13=Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party|votes13=58552|seats13=0|sc13=–3

|party14=Muslim Ittehad Pakistan|votes14=49601|seats14=0|sc14=New

|party15=Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S)|votes15=48838|seats15=0|sc15=New

|party16=Pakistan Democratic Party|votes16=47153|seats16=0|sc16=New

|party17=Pakistan Muslim League (Qayyum)|votes17=37723|seats17=0|sc17=New

|party18=Pakistan Awami Party|votes18=31615|seats18=0|sc18=New

|party19=30 other parties|votes19=88429|seats19=0|sc19=–

|party20=Independents (Muslims)|votes20=2690164|seats20=21|sc20=+5|color20={{party color|Independent}}

|party21=Non-Muslim seats|votes21=432553|seats21=10|sc21=0|color21={{party color|Independent}}

|row22=Vacant|seats22=3|sc22=–

|invalid=448829

|electorate=55737177

|total_sc=0

|source=Nohlen et al.

}}

{{further|Second Nawaz Sharif government|Electoral fraud in Pakistan}}

Nawaz Sharif described the results as reflecting the country's desire for an end to chaos. Benazir Bhutto had threatened to not recognise the results if the PPP lost, but despite alleging that election officials had rigged the election by filling in extra ballots, she did not call for protests, saying that Pakistan needed political stability. International observers from the European Union and the Commonwealth of Nations said the election met basic conditions but would not describe it as 'free and fair'.

The election for Prime Minister took place on 17 February 1997. Nawaz Sharif was confirmed as prime minister by the National Assembly receiving 177 votes against 16 for the PPP candidate Aftab Shaban Mirani.{{cite news| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E3DB113FF93BA25751C0A961958260 | title = New Pakistan Prime Minister Takes Office | access-date = 13 November 2008 | date = 18 February 1997 | newspaper = The New York Times}} He took office on 18 February with a new cabinet named on 26 February.

{{Election results

|caption=119 votes required

|cand1=Nawaz Sharif|party1=Pakistan Muslim League (N)|votes1=177

|cand2=Aftab Shaban Mirani|party2=Pakistan Peoples Party|votes2=16

}}

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