Chronology of Musharraf's rule since Pakistan coup

-- 1999 --
October 12: Musharraf overthrows elected prime minister, Nawaz Sharif after Sharif sacks him as army chief.
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-- 2000 --
May 13: Supreme Court validates coup.
December: Sharif is freed from prison on hijacking and corruption charges, exiled to Saudi Arabia and banned from returning to Pakistan for 10 years.

-- 2001 --
June 20: Musharraf declares himself president after the incumbent, Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, resigns.
September 11: Musharraf drops support for Taliban and allies Pakistan with Washington after 9/11 attacks.

-- 2002 --
April 30: Musharraf wins controversial national referendum on his rule.
October 10: Pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Q wins general elections.
November 16: Musharraf sworn in for a fresh five-year term.

-- 2003 --
December: Musharraf escapes two assassination attempts, one by Islamist military officers and the other by al Qaeda.

-- 2004 --
January 1: Musharraf wins parliamentary vote of confidence affirming his unelected rule until 2007.
February: Musharraf pardons nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan for leaking nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.
December 30: Musharraf reneges on promise to quit as army chief.

-- 2007 --
March 9: Musharraf sacks chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, sparking protests. Chaudhry reinstated by Supreme Court in July.
July 10: Pakistani troops storm the radical Red Mosque in Islamabad, killing scores.
October 6: Parliament elects Musharraf to another five-year term as president in a vote boycotted by the opposition.
October 18: Benazir Bhutto returns from exile.
November 3: Musharraf imposes state of emergency, sacks chief justice, and suspends constitution.
November 25: Sharif returns from exile.
November 28: Musharraf steps down as army chief and hands control of military to General Ashfaq Kayani
December 15: Musharraf lifts state of emergency.
December 27: Bhutto assassinated at election rally.

-- 2008 --
February 18: Parties of Bhutto and Sharif trounce Musharraf’s allies in general elections.
March 24: Parliament elects Bhutto aide Yousuf Raza Gilani as prime minister.
August 7: Coalition says Musharraf to face impeachment.
August 17: Coalition says it has finalized impeachment charges.
August 18: Musharraf announces his resignation.