•Pakistan was one of the two original successor states to

British India, which was partitioned along religious lines in

1947.

•For almost 25 years following independence, it consisted

of two separate regions, East and West Pakistan, which are
today Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively.

•What is now Pakistan, was in prehistoric times the Indus

Valley civilization (c. 2500–1700 BC ). A series of
invaders—Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, and
others—controlled the region for the next several thousand
years.

•By 1857, the British became the dominant power in the

region.
•With Hindus holding most of the economic, social, and political
advantages, the Muslim minority's dissatisfaction grew, leading to the
formation of the nationalist Muslim League in 1906 by Mohammed Ali
Jinnah (1876–1949).

•The idea of a Muslim nation, distinct from Hindu India, was introduced in
1930 by the poet Muhammad Iqbal and was ardently supported by a group
of Indian Muslim students in England, who were the first to use the name
Pakistan [land of the pure, from the Urdu pak,=pure and stan,=land].

• It gained wide support in 1940 when the Muslim League, led by

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded the establishment of a Muslim state in
the areas of India where Muslims were in the majority.

•The League won most of the Muslim constituencies in the 1946 elections,
and Britain and the Congress party reluctantly agreed to the formation of
Pakistan as a separate dominion under the provisions of the Indian
Independence Act, which went into effect on Aug. 15, 1947.
•Jinnah became the governor-general of the new nation and Liaquat Ali
Khan  the first prime minister.

•While India inherited most of the British administrative machinery,

Pakistan had to start with practically nothing; records and Muslim
administrators were transferred from New Delhi to a chaotic, makeshift
capital at Karachi.

•Disputes between India and Pakistan arose also over the princely states of
Junagadh, Hyderabad, and Kashmir. In the first two, Muslim rulers held
sway over a Hindu majority but India forcibly joined both states to the
Union.

•In Kashmir the situation was precisely the opposite; a Hindu ruler held
sway over a Muslim majority . The ruler signed over Kashmir to India in
Oct 1947, but Pakistan refused to accept the move.
•In the meantime, Pakistan faced serious internal problems. A liberal
statement of constitutional principles was promulgated in 1949, but it ran
into orthodox Muslim opposition.

•On Oct. 16, 1951, Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated by an
Afghan fanatic. His death left a leadership void that prime ministers Khwaja
Nazimuddin (1951–53) and Muhammad Ali (1953–55) and governor-general
Ghulam Muhammad (1951–55) failed to fill.

•In East Bengal, which had more than half of the nation's population, there
was increasing dissatisfaction with the federal government in West Pakistan.

•In Feb, 1956, a new constitution was finally adopted, and Pakistan formally
became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations; Gen. Iskander
Mirza became the first president.

•After 1956 the threat to the stability of the Pakistan government gradually
increased; economic difficulties, frequent cabinet crises, and widespread
political corruption.
•East Pakistan's long-standing discontent with the federal government was
expressed in 1966 by a movement for increased autonomy, supported by a
general strike. Following disastrous riots in late 1968-69, President Ayub
Khan resigned and handed the government over to Gen. Agha Khan.

•The Awami League, under Sheik Mujibur Rahman, in a campaign for full

autonomy , won an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly

•East Pakistan declared its independence as Bangladesh on Mar. 26, 1971,

but was occupied by the Pakistani army, followed by a civil war.

•India supported Bangladesh and on Dec. 3, 1971, sent troops to Bangladesh.

Following a two-week war between Pakistan and India, in which fighting
also broke out along the India-Pakistan border, Pakistani troops in
Bangladesh surrendered (Dec. 16).

•Following Pakistan's defeat, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the deputy prime minister

and foreign minister, came to power in Pakistan.
MILITARY RULE IN
PAKISTAN
“Nations take great pride in their armed
forces. Nations cherish them and
protected by them. In contrast, people
of Pakistan have mostly suffered
hardships at the hands of their own
army.”
Pakistan military has the big share in Pakistan's

stock exchange. It operates commercial bank,

airline, steel, cement, telecom, petroleum and

energy, education, sports, health care and even

chains of grocery shops and bakeries and what

not...!!
 “ The DAWN of Dictators”
In 1956, Pakistan established its first
constitution, and the position of
Governor-General was replaced by
that of President. Iskander Mirza was
officially elected as President by the
Assembly.
Iskander Mirza imposes martial law in
1958.

American Intervention:
General Ayub Khan (October 1958 – March 1969)

Ayub Khan sent commanders about midnight to the Presidential House and Mirza
was
threatened either to Resign or loose his life.

Mirza thus left the Office of President and Ayub Khan declared himself President on
•Ayub Khan was first Pakistani Field Marshall

1965 Indo- Pak war was a result of covert operations

under the guidance of Ayub Khan.

Zulfilar Ali Butto later became hostile to his policies.

•As Ayub's popularity plummeted in later of his career,

he decided to give up rule.
General Yahya Khan (25 March 1969 – 20 December
1971)

Yahya Khan took over after Ayub Khan’s decision to quit.

Soon after Yahya took over he imposed martial law.

Yahya had to mend many actions taken by Ayub.

He held elections in his tenure.

Creation of Bangladesh.

Yahya finally transferred power to Zulfikar Ali Butto.

 General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
(September 1978 – August 1988)

•
Elections were held on March 7, 1977. The Pakistan
Peoples Party won these elections, but was accused
by their opponents, Pakistan National Alliance, of
rigging the elections.

•Talks between the Alliance and Bhutto government

were held in June 1977 and an agreement was
reached, but it was not be implemented.
•Fresh elections were announced for October 15,
1977. But on July 5, 1977, the Chief of Army Staff,
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, imposed Martial
Law and the elections were postponed.

General Zia-ul-Haq announced holding of elections

within 90 days.

A year later, in 1979, General Zia-ul-Haq

declared political parties to be defunct and certain
political leaders were disqualified.
When General Zia-ul-Haq took over as
the
Chief Martial Law Administrator on
1977,Islamization was given a new
boost.

Zulfikar Ali Butto was prosecuted and

finally hanged.

Played active role with CIA and

American diplomats in
framing operations in Afghanistan.

Arms supply to Afghanistan and

finances were
channelised through Pakistan.
General Pervaiz Musharaf (October 1999 –
August 2008)
•On October 12, 1999, the Pakistan Army once again ousted the
Civilian Government.. The coup immediately followed the
PM’s attempt to replace the Army Chief while he was on a tour
to Sri Lanka.

•Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf assumed the

title of Chief Executive.

•Although the use of the term "Martial Law" was avoided,

Pakistan once again came under military rule. It was claimed
that the Army was forced to take this step to save the country
from "turmoil and uncertainty”.