TIMELINE-Sharif and Zardari join forces

(Reuters) - Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday he would join the late Benazir Bhutto's party in a coalition, raising the prospect of a government hostile to President Pervez Musharraf.

Here is a chronology of political events in the past year.

March 9, 2007 - Musharraf suspends Supreme Court Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on allegations of misconduct. Lawyers rally around the top judge and Musharraf's popularity plummets.

July 10 - Musharraf orders troops to storm the Red Mosque in Islamabad to crush a Taliban-style movement. About 105 people are killed. Wave of militant attacks and suicide bombings follow.

July 20 - Supreme Court reinstates Chief Justice Chaudhry, dealing a blow to Musharraf's authority.

July 27 - Musharraf meets former premier Benazir Bhutto in Abu Dhabi to discuss moving towards a civilian-led democracy. Bhutto sets conditions including that Musharraf step down as army chief.

Sept 10 - Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister Musharraf ousted in 1999, is arrested at Islamabad airport, despite having the Supreme Court's clearance to return from exile.

Oct 2 - Musharraf designates a successor as army chief. Government says it is dropping corruption charges against Bhutto, clearing the way for her return.

Oct 6 - Musharraf wins the most votes in a presidential election by the National and provincial assemblies.

Oct 19 - Suicide bomber tries to assassinate Bhutto in Karachi as she returns from eight years of exile. Nearly 140 people are killed.

Nov 3 - Musharraf imposes emergency rule.

Nov 13 - Bhutto placed under house arrest for a week in Lahore, hours before planned march against emergency rule.

Nov 15 - Musharraf appoints Senate chairman Mohammadmian Soomro to head a caretaker line-up to oversee elections.

Nov 22 - Commonwealth suspends Pakistan after earlier issuing ultimatum for Musharraf to end emergency and quit as army chief.

Nov 25 - Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns from exile, touching down in his stronghold of Lahore.

Nov 28 - A tearful Musharraf sees General Ashfaq Kayani sworn in as army chief at army headquarters in Rawalpindi.