Changes

==Government and Political Conditions==

==Government and Political Conditions==

Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008.  He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan’s nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.

Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008.  He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan’s nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.