First Nawaz Sharif government

The first Nawaz Sharif government under prime minister Nawaz Sharif was sworn into office on 9 November 1990,^[1] after the nine-party Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) unanimously nominated him the government head.^[2]

First Nawaz Sharif Government
31st Cabinet of Pakistan
1990–1993
Date formed	9 November 1990
Date dissolved	18 April 1993
People and organisations
Head of state	Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Head of government	Nawaz Sharif
Total no. of members	18
Member party	Islami Jamhoori Ittehad
Status in legislature	Simple majority
Opposition party	Pakistan Peoples Party
History
Election	1990 general election
Outgoing election	1993 general election
Incoming formation	Jatoi caretaker government
Outgoing formation	Mazari caretaker
Predecessor	First Bhutto
Successor	Second Benazir Bhutto government

Nawaz Sharif’s government was elected as the on 1 November 1990,^[3] With Nawaz Sharif chosen as the 12th Prime Minister. The President, Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved his government in April 1993, which was later on reinstated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.^{[citation needed]} Sharif survived a serious constitutional crisis when President Khan attempted to dismiss him under article 58-2b, in April 1993, but he successfully challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.^{[citation needed]} Sharif resigned from the post negotiating a settlement that resulted in the removal of President as well, in July 1993.^[4]

Cabinet

Sharif's 18-member cabinet was one of the smallest in the country's history, especially compared to the record 58-member cabinet of his ousted predecessor Benazir Bhutto. Sharif insisted on bringing nearly a dozen politicians with links to Gen Zia-ul-Haq.^[1]

Amongst the 18 members initially selected for the cabinet, nine were from Punjab, two from the Islamabad Capital Territory, six from Sindh and one from Balochistan. The cabinet was later expanded to include representation from the North-West Frontier Province^[5] Although being a member of the IJI alliance, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) members declined to participate in Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet.^[6]

Ministry[1][7]	Minister
Prime Minister, Ministry of Defence	Nawaz Sharif
Ministry of Foreign Affairs	Sahabzada Yaqub Khan
Ministry of Finance	Sartaj Aziz
Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Interior	Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
Minister of State for Defence	Syed Ghous Ali Shah
Ministry of Law	Syed Fakhar Imam

Changes

• 9 March 1991 – Chaudhry Amir Hussain is appointed as the state minister for the Ministry of Law for the second time.^[7]
• April 1991 – Akram Zaki is made the acting federal minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[7]
• 10 September 1991
  • Syed Ghous Ali Shah is appointed as the federal minister for the Ministry of Defence.^[7]
  • The prime minister retains the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and appoints Siddiq Khan Kanju as the state minister for the ministry.^[7]
  • *Chaudhary Abdul Ghafoor is appointed as the federal minister for the Ministry of Law.^[7]

Major initiatives and actions

Further information: Nawaz Sharif § First term as prime minister (1990–1993)

• Foreign Policy Actions
  • Joining the U.S-led coalition in the Gulf War
  • Worsened diplomatic relations with Ba'athist Iraq, and took diplomatic measures against Saddam Hussein
  • Improved relations with the United States of America
• Military Policy Actions
  • Operation Clean-up
• Economic Policy Actions
  • Began privatization process in Pakistan
  • Authorized the Pakistan Antarctic Programme
  • Began Economic liberalisation in Pakistan
• Social Policy Actions
  • Rise of Conservatism in Pakistan