Muhammad Khan Junejo

Muhammad Khan Junejo was a Pakistani politician and agriculturist who served as the tenth prime minister of Pakistan from 1985 to 1988 under president Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. He was born in a Sindhi Rajput family and was educated at the St. Patrick's College in Karachi and the Plumpton College in the United Kingdom. He started his political career as a member of the Muslim League and served as a minister in the West Pakistan government from 1963 to 1969. He was elected to the National Assembly in 1970 and 1977, but was imprisoned by Zia after the 1977 coup. He was released in 1983 and participated in the 1985 party-less elections. He was chosen by Zia to form the government and became the prime minister of Pakistan. He faced several challenges during his tenure, such as the Afghan war, the constitutional crisis, the provincial autonomy, and the opposition from the Islamic parties. He introduced the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, which gave the president the power to dissolve the parliament and dismiss the prime minister. He also improved the relations with China, the Soviet Union, and the Muslim world. He was dismissed by Zia in 1988, who imposed martial law in the country. He formed his own faction of the Muslim League and contested the 1988 and 1990 elections. He became seriously ill in 1993 and died in the United States. He was considered a loyal and moderate leader who tried to balance the civil and military institutions in Pakistan.