In 1999, Pakistan experienced a bloodless military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf and the military staff at the Joint Staff HQ. On October 12, they seized control from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's civilian government. Two days later, Musharraf, as Chief Executive, controversially suspended the Constitution of Pakistan.

The coup was driven by escalating tensions between Sharif's administration and the military, particularly with General Musharraf. Sharif's attempt to replace Musharraf with Lieutenant-General Ziauddin Butt as army chief was met with resistance from senior military officials and led to Butt's detention. The coup's execution was rapid. Within 17 hours, military commanders had seized key government institutions, placing Sharif and his administration, including his brother, under house arrest. The military also took control of critical communication infrastructure.

Pakistan's Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Irshad Hassan Khan, validated the martial law under a "doctrine of necessity," but limited its duration to three years. Sharif was tried and convicted for endangering lives aboard an aircraft carrying Musharraf, a decision that sparked controversy.

In December 2000, Musharraf unexpectedly pardoned Sharif, who then flew to Saudi Arabia. In 2001, Musharraf became President after forcing President Rafiq Tarar to resign. A national referendum in April 2002, criticized as fraudulent by many, extended Musharraf's rule. The 2002 general elections saw a return to democracy, with Musharraf's PML(Q) forming a minority government.