2008 in Pakistan

* 2007
* 2006
* 2005
*   *

|  | 2008

Pakistan |

* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
*   *

|
|
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Decades:|

* 1980s
* 1990s
* 2000s
* 2010s
* 2020s

See also:|

* History of Pakistan
* List of years in Pakistan
* Timeline of Pakistani history

Events from the year 2008 in Pakistan.

## Incumbents

[edit]

### Federal government

[edit]

* President:
* until 18 August: Pervez Musharraf
* 18 August-9 September: Muhammad Mian Soomro
* starting 9 September: Asif Ali Zardari
* Prime Minister: Muhammad Mian Soomro (acting) (starting 16 November)
* Chief Justice: Abdul Hameed Dogar (acting)

### Governors

[edit]

* Governor of Balochistan – Owais Ahmed Ghani (until 5 January); Nawab Zulfikar Ali Magsi (starting 5 January)
* Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Ali Jan Aurakzai (until 7 January); Owais Ahmed Ghani (starting 7 January)
* Governor of Punjab – Khalid Maqbool (until 16 May); Salmaan Taseer (starting 16 May)
* Governor of Sindh – Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan

## Events

[edit]

### January

[edit]

* 2 January – Pakistan announces that elections originally scheduled for 8 January will be postponed until the 18 February, following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
* 3 January – Benazir Bhutto assassination: President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf denies any role in Benazir Bhutto's death. (CNN)
* 11 January – Beginning of Islamic Hijri year 1429 First of Muharram on Friday 11 January 2008.
* 19 January - Saturday 9th of Muharram, Official holiday in Pakistan in memory of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain
* 20 January – Sunday 10th of Muharram, Ashura, an official holiday in Pakistan-In memory of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain
* 31 January – The United States announces that Abu Laith al-Libi, a senior commander of Al-Qaeda who recruited and trained operatives, was killed in a missile strike in northwest Pakistan

### February

[edit]

* 9 February – 15 People are killed in an election rally in Charsada.[1]
* 11 February – Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan is believed to have been kidnapped by suspected pro-Taliban militants.[2]
* 12 February – The Government of Pakistan steps up security for "fair, transparent and peaceful" elections scheduled for 18 February.[3]
* 13 February – Pakistan test fires a nuclear capable short range ballistic missile.[4]
* Two suspects confessed to a judge that they helped to arm the suicide bomber who killed Bhutto.[5]
* 14 February – Three soldiers are killed by a bomb explosion near Khair, Surabaja.
* 15 February – Pakistan announces the arrest of a fifth man in connection with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.[6]
* Pakistan and India agree to double the number of flights between the two nations.[7]
* 16 February – 37 people are killed in a bombing in the town of Parachinar at an election rally.[8]
* 18 February – Elections take place in Pakistan.
* 19 February – Election results show that President Musharraf's party Pakistan Muslim League (Q) have received a heavy defeat.[9]
* 21 February – Pakistan's two main opposition parties agree to form a coalition following the elections.[10]
* 29 February – At least 45 people died and 82 were wounded in a suicide attack on the funeral February 29, 2008 of a district superintendent of police – killed earlier in the day in a separate attack – in Swat province.[11]

### March

[edit]

* 22 March – The PPP nominate Yousaf Raza Gillani to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
* 25 March – Yousaf Raza Gillani is sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan.[12]
* 24 March – Prime minister Gillani vows to free judges who were detained during emergency rule.[13]
* 29 March – PM Gillani announces to the National Assembly that the fight against terrorism will be the top priority of the new government.[14]

### April

[edit]

* 1 April – The new government of Pakistan announces that it will rethink the policy on militants.[15]
* 15 April – President Musharraf announces he is lobbying the Chinese government to build gas and oil pipelines.[16]
* 16 April – The Olympic torch arrives in Pakistan.[17]
* 19 April – Taliban rebels release a video of Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan who they are holding as a hostage.[18]

### May

[edit]

* 12 May – PML (N) quits the cabinet, following the failure to restore judges.[19]
* 16 May – Pakistan's Ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin was set free by kidnappers.[20]
* 17 May – Lawyers announced their plan for Long March to be held on 10 June, for the Restoration of Judges.[21]

### June

[edit]

* 1 June – Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed left Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and formed his new Party, Awami Muslim League.
* 2 June – Car bomb attack near Denmark Embassy kills 8 people. .[22]

### July

[edit]

* 6 July – A suicide bomber attacked a police station in Islamabad killing 12 policemen and seven civilians in a rally marking the first anniversary of Lal Masjid siege.[23]

### August

[edit]

* 12 August – First National Youth Awards conferred.
* 18 August – President Pervez Musharraf, faced with the prospect of being impeached, resigns from the office of president.
* 19 August – 32 people were killed while 55 injured in an attack in Dera Ismail Khan carried by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
* 23 August – At least 15 people were killed in a suicide attack at a police check post in Char Bagh area of Swat. Also, three persons including two kids were killed in a bomb blast in Abuha.[24]

### September

[edit]

* 9 September – Asif Ali Zardari became 11th President of Pakistan
* 20 September – The Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing executed by unidentified terrorists kills 54 people and injures 266.

## See also

[edit]

* 2008 in Pakistani television
* List of Pakistani films of 2008

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Pakistan election rally bomb kills 15 - CNN
2. ^ Pakistani diplomat still missing
3. ^ Pakistan boosts security for election - CNN
4. ^ Pakistan tests ballistic missile
5. ^ Two admit arming Bhutto suicide bomber
6. ^ Fifth man arrested in Bhutto case - BBC News
7. ^ India-Pakistan flights to double
8. ^ Call for calm after Pakistan bomb - BBC News
9. ^ Are Musharraf's days numbered? - BBC
10. ^ Pakistan parties agree coalition
11. ^ "45 killed in Pakistan funeral blast – CNN.com". CNN. 2008-03-01. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
12. ^ New Pakistan PM Gillani sworn in
13. ^ Pakistan PM vows to free judges - BBC News
14. ^ Pakistani PM vows to fight terror
15. ^ Pakistan rethinks US policy on militants - BBC News
16. ^ Musharraf makes Chinese oil plea - BBC News
17. ^ Olympic torch relay in Pakistan
18. ^ Pakistan envoy: I am Taliban hostage - CNN
19. ^ PML (N) Quits Government - DAWN News
20. ^ Pakistani Ambassador set free - DAWN News
21. ^ Lawyer Announced to go for Long March
22. ^ Blast near Denmark Embassy - DAWN News
23. ^ "Suicide blast targeting police kills 16 at Pakistan rally – CNN.com". Cnn.com. 2008-07-06. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
24. ^ "15 feared dead in Swat suicide bombings". Archived from the original on 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2010-05-28.

* v
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Years in Pakistan (since 1947)

20th century|

* 1947
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21st century|

* 2001
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* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
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2008 in Asia

Sovereign states|

* Afghanistan
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*   * Cambodia
*   * China
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*   * North Korea
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*   * Pakistan
*   *   *   * Philippines
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*   *   * Singapore
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* Thailand
* Timor-Leste (East Timor)
*   * Turkey
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
*   *   * Yemen
*   *

States with limited
recognition

* Abkhazia
*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   * Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
* Northern Cyprus
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan
*   *   *   *

Dependencies, colonies
and other territories

*   *   * British Indian Ocean Territory
*   *   * Christmas Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
*   *   *   *   *   * Hong Kong
*   * Macau
*   *   *   *

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