In 1988, President Zia-ul-Haq dissolved the Junejo government and announced that fresh elections would be held in November 1988. But on August 17, 1988, he was killed in a C-130 plane crash in Bahawalpur, along with five senior generals and the American Ambassador. The cause of the crash has never been ascertained.

After the death of General Zia, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Chairman of the Senate, took over as acting President. Elections to the National and Provincial Assemblies were held on the 16 and 19, November 1988 respectively. The RCO (Revival of the Constitutional Order) had amended the constitution, which empowered the President to appoint, at his discretion, any member of the National Assembly as Prime Minister. Ghulam Ishaq Khan appointed Benazir Bhutto, as Prime Minister of Pakistan on a condition that she would offer full support to Ghulam Ishaq Khan in the forth-coming Presidential elections.

According to the deal between Ghulam Ishaq Khan and Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan’s Peoples Party (PPP) voted for Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Ghulam Ishaq Khan was also the consensus candidate of IJI (Islami Jamuhri Itehad). Ghulam Ishaq Khan won the election with an overwhelming majority. Four candidates took part in the election, with Ghulam Ishaq Khan winning and securing the highest 608 votes in the election. The Constitutional amendments made by the RCO and the Eight Amendment had led to the ascendancy of the President. Unforeseen by both this inevitably led the President and the Prime Minister into Conflict. The conflict between the President and the Prime Minister arose in two areas: the appointment of the military chiefs and the superior court judges.

The conflict between the President and the Prime Minister had its drop scene on August 6,1990 when the President dissolved the National Assembly and Benazir Bhutto lost her Prime Ministership. The dissolution of the National Assembly was soon followed by the dissolution of the Provincial Assembly. Fresh elections were scheduled to be held on October 24, 1990. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan appointed Mustafa Jatoi as the caretaker (interim) Prime Minister.

Elections for the National and Provincial assemblies were again held on October 24 and 27, 1990 respectively, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was elected as the Prime Minister on November 1, 1990. Nawaz Sharif’s government remained in power till April 19, 1993. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved the National Assembly once again exercising his power through the 8th Amendment and appointed Mir Balakh Sher Khan Mazari as the caretaker Prime Minister. General Elections were scheduled to be held on July 14, 1993 but were canceled when the Supreme Court quashed the Presidential order and reinstated Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister.

Differences between Nawaz Sharif and Ghulam Ishaq Khan arouse once again, this time to deepen to an extent that it led to the resignation of the President, Ghulam Ishaq Khan and the Prime Minister, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on July 19, 1993, thus dissolving all the Central and Provincial assemblies. Moin Qureshi was appointed the caretaker Prime Minister, and Ghulam Ishaq Khan was appointed the caretaker President. Fresh elections for the National and Provincial Assemblies were held. Benazir Bhutto returned to power a second time and Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari was elected the new President of Pakistan.