Military dictatorship in Pakistan

Military Dictatorship in Pakistan
پاکستان (Pakistan)
Military Dictatorship in Pakistan پاکستان (Pakistan)
1958–1971, 1977–1988, 1999–2008
	Flag Coat of arms
Status	Military regime
Capital	Islamabad (from 1967), previously Karachi
Largest city	Karachi
Official languages	Urdu (national), English (official)
Religion	Islam (state religion)
President / Chief Martial Law Administrator
• 1958–1969	Ayub Khan
• 1969–1971	Yahya Khan
• 1977–1988	Zia-ul-Haq
• 1999–2008	Pervez Musharraf
• 2022–present	Asim Munir
Legislature	Suspended or Controlled (varied during military rule)
Historical era	Cold War, War on terror
• Coup by Ayub Khan (first established)	27 October 1958 1958
• End of the 1968–69 Pakistan revolution (first abolished and second established)	25 March 1969
• End of the 1971 Pakistan Military Officer's Revolt (second abolished)	20 December 1971
• Operation Fair Play (third established)	5 July 1977
• 1988 PAF C-130B crash (third abolished)	17 August 1988
• 1999 Pakistani coup d'état (fourth established)	12 October 1999
• No-confidence vote against Imran Khan	10 April 2022
• Allegations of military interference in political processes (denied by the military)	2022–2024
• Appointment of Asim Munir as Chief of Army Staff	29 November 2022
• Return to civilian rule (fourth abolished)	18 August 2008 2008
Currency	Pakistani Rupee
ISO 3166 code	PK
Today part of	Pakistan; Bangladesh

Pakistan’s post-independence history has alternated between military-controlled civilian governments and periods of direct military rule. In four main episodes – under Ayub Khan (1958–1969), Yahya Khan (1969–1971), Zia-ul-Haq (1977–1988), and Pervez Musharraf (1999–2008) and one side chapter Iskander Mirza (1958). The country was governed by generals who seized power in coups and suspended democratic institutions.

In total, roughly half of Pakistan’s history (about 33 of 75 years) has been under military rule. Each regime imposed martial law or a controlled “guided” democracy, implementing its own constitutional changes and policies. These periods profoundly shaped Pakistan’s political trajectory, strengthening the military’s role and altering civil society, the judiciary, the media, and human rights.

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History of Pakistan

Timeline
Ancient Palaeolithic Soanian culture, c. 500,000 – 250,000 BCE Neolithic Mehrgarh, c. 7000 – c. 3000 BCE Indus Valley Civilisation, c. 3300 – c. 1700 BCE Vedic Civilization, c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE Achaemenid Empire, c. 550 – c. 330 BCE Gedrosia, c. 542 – c. 330 BCE Gandhara, c. 518 – c. 330 BCE Arachosia, c. 518 – c. 330 BCE Hindush, c. 517 – c. 330 BCE Sattagydia, c. 516 – c. 330 BCE Macedonian Empire, c. 329 – c. 323 BCE Arachosia, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Gedrosia, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Paropamisadae, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Porus, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Taxiles, c. 323 – c. 312 BCE Mauryan Empire, c. 322 – c. 200 BCE Seleucid Empire, c. 312 – c. 63 BCE Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, c. 190 – c. 140 BCE Indo-Greek Kingdom, c. 170 – c. 50 BCE Indo-Scythian Kingdom, c. 110 BCE – c. 95 CE Apracharajas, c. 25 BCE – c. 50 CE Paratarajas, c. 120 – c. 300 CE
Classical Parthian Empire, c. 90 BCE – c. 25 CE Indo-Parthian Kingdom, c. 25 – c. 80 CE Kushan Empire, c. 60 – 345 CE Sasanian Empire, c. 250 – 655 CE Indo-Sasanians, c. 240 – 410 CE Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom, c. 240 – 410 CE Gupta Empire, c. 345 – c. 455 CE Rai dynasty, c. 415 – 644 CE Hephthalite Empire, c. 450 – 560 CE Brahman dynasty, c. 641 – 725 CE
Medieval Caliphate, c. 643 – 860 CE Rashidun Caliphate, c. 643 – 661 CE Umayyad Caliphate, c. 670 – 860 CE Pala Empire, c. 770 – 850 CE Habbari dynasty, c. 841 – 1024 CE Hindu Shahi, c. 870 – 1010 CE Samanid Empire, c. 905 – 999 CE Ghaznavids, c. 999 – 1186 CE Soomra dynasty, c. 1024 – 1351 CE Ghurid dynasty, c. 1170 – 1215 CE Delhi Sultanate, c. 1206 – c. 1526 CE Mamluk dynasty, c. 1206 – c. 1290 CE Khalji dynasty, c. 1290 – c. 1320 CE Tugluq dynasty, c. 1320 – c. 1413 CE Sayyid dynasty, c. 1414 – c. 1451 CE Lodhi dynasty, c. 1451 – c. 1526 CE Mongol Empire, c. 1221 – c. 1327 CE Chagatai Khanate, c. 1225 – c. 1485 CE Ilkhanate, c. 1256 – c. 1353 CE Raees dynasty, c. 1320 – 1620 CE Katoor dynasty, c. 1570 – c. 1947 CE Samma dynasty, c. 1351 – c. 1524 CE Arghun dynasty, c. 1520 – c. 1554 CE Mughal Empire, c. 1526 – c. 1707 CE Bombay Presidency, c. 1618 – c. 1947 CE Suri dynasty, c. 1540 – c. 1556 CE Tarkhan dynasty, c. 1554 – 1591 CE
Early modern Durrani Empire, c. 1747 – c. 1826 CE Las Bela, c. 1802 – c. 1947 CE Misl, c. 1716 – c. 1799 CE Maratha Empire, c. 1758 – c. 1760 CE Sikh Empire, c. 1799 – c. 1849 CE British Raj, c. 1858 – c. 1947 CE Independence Movement
Modern Pakistan, c. 1947 CE – present Dominion of Pakistan, c. 1947 – 1956 CE Republican Pakistan, c. 1956 CE – present
History of provinces Azad Kashmir Balochistan East Pakistan Gilgit-Baltistan Islamabad Capital Territory Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Punjab Sindh
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