First Benazir Bhutto government

The first Benazir Bhutto government was formed on 2 December, 1988 following general elections held in 1988. Due to the PPP only securing a plurality, the new government forged a coalition alliance with the MQM, ANP, JUI(FR) and other additional independents. Following elections President Ghulam Ishaq Khan called upon Benazir Bhutto, later announcing the formation of a new government. Benazir promised while taking oath on 2 December to eradicate illiteracy, poverty, restore student unions, liberate political prisoners, provide equal rights to women and free the media. However, the Army's continued influence and lack of a legislative majority led to her later declaring her government's freedom of action was "institutionally, economically, politically (and) structurally" constrained. Later during Presidential elections the same year, Benazir Bhutto solidified her alliance with President Ishaq Khan through supporting his bid for re-election. However later the two came into conflict, over the division of powers between the two offices and as the President continued to support Bhutto's opponent Nawaz Sharif. Eventually on 6 August, 1990 Ghulam Ishaq Khan issued an order under Article 58(2)(b) dissolving the National Assembly causing the Prime Minister and the cabinet to cease holding office. The stated charges of dismissal for the Bhutto government were corruption and the deteriorating law and order situation in Sindh.

Formative Period
Following the 1988 elections, the PPP did not gain a majority but emerged as the largest single party with 93 seats, 11 seats short to form a majority. The second largest party in the National assembly being the IJI and its 55 seats. Independents had secured 23 seats, MQM 13 seats, and JUI (Fazlur-Rehman Group) 7 seats. Nawaz Sharif the following day announced that the IJI would form a government, according to Hamid Khan, Sharif intended to make up for his lack of a electoral plurality through the support of the President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Following MQM and ANP alliance with the PPP, the President instead decided to call upon Benazir to meet with him, and shortly later it was announced that the first civilian-led government in eleven years was to be formed. According to Lawrence Ziring, Ishaq Khan pursued this path in order to establish stability "as quickly as possible" and because he was disinclined to see the army under Aslam Beg take control of the government following Zia's death. Hamid Khan claims that Ghulam Ishaq Khan sought a full five-year term as President, so after "delivering a majority in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab to the IJI" to counterbalance Bhutto he sought a deal with the PPP for his election. In the later Presidential elections that year, the PPP ignored its old ally Nawabzada Nasrullah for Ishaq Khan, who won with 603 votes out of 752.

Punjab
The Islami Jamhoori Ittehad in Punjab would be able to secure 34.98% of the vote. Despite the PPP (52 seats) securing more seats than the IJI (45 seats) in the National Assembly, in the Provincial Assembly the IJI secured got 108 seats compared to the PPP's 94. With the help of most of the independents the IJI would be able to form a government with Nawaz Sharif as Chief Minister. Punjab would provide the main power base of the IJI, comprising both Nawaz Sharif and Junejo Muslim leagues and eight other allied parties held together by opposition to the PPP. According to Muhammad Waseem, the incumbent caretaker Chief Ministers used public funds to finance its candidates during the election. According to Ian Talbot, the requirement that voters produce identity cards also strengthened the IJI.

Sindh
In Sindh the PPP had won 67 out of a 100 general seats in the Provincial Assembly, securing a majority. Out of 31 independents in the Assembly, 26 belonged to the MQM but ran on independent tickets. On 20 March, the period until with which Governors could appoint Chief Ministers had lapsed, hence Qaim Ali Shah of the PPP was elected by the Provincial Assembly as Chief Minister of Sindh.

North West Frontier Province (NWFP)
In the NWFP no single political party had won an absolute majority. Out of 80 general seats the IJI had won the highest (28 seats), followed by the PPP (22 seats), ANP (13 seats) and as many as 15 independents. In order to form a government, Benazir approached Wali Khan head of the ANP to form a coalition, with the offer being accepted. Several independents also joined the PPP-ANP in NWFP. Aftab Sherpao would form the government as Chief Minister. Later when the PPP-ANP coalition broke down he would remain as CM.

Balochistan
In Balochistan, out of 40 general seats, 11 went to JUI(FR), 10 to the Balochistan National Alliance (BNA), 8 to the IJI, 4 to the PPP and the remaining seven to minor political parties and independents. The Provincial Assembly met on 2 December to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the assembly and later to elect the Chief Minister of the province. Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali received 21 votes for and 21 votes against his bid for Chief Ministership. The Speaker issued a certificate declaring him elected by 22 votes including the casting vote of the speaker.