In Pakistan, power was in the hands of the army from 1958 to 1971, then from 1977 to 1988 and then from 1999 to 2008. Apart from this, even when there was a publicly elected government, the army had influence on the government. Many army chiefs of Pakistan have ruled the country through coups.
General elections are to be held in Pakistan next month i.e. on 8th February. After 2018, the people of Pakistan will once again elect their government and new Prime Minister. Whenever there is talk of elections in Pakistan, there is definitely mention of the army there. It is seen which party or leader the army is supporting behind the scenes in the elections. Regarding Pakistan, it is believed that the army interferes directly or indirectly in the politics there. Without the role of the army, the politics and elections there cannot be seen and understood.
It is believed that whichever party wins the elections or whoever becomes the Prime Minister, it will be at the will of the army. It can also be understood that after separation from India in 1947, the first general elections in Pakistan were held after 23 years in 1970. Meanwhile, the power there remained in the hands of the army for a long time. Not only this, later also on many occasions the army carried out coups and ran the government of the country itself. A major consequence of the military's interference is that there has been political instability in Pakistan since 1947 till today.
The first coup took place in 1958
Pakistan was ruled by the army from 1958 to 1971, 1977 to 1988 and from 1999 to 2008. During this time the then Army Chief became the President. Pakistan got its constitution in 1956. After this, general elections were to be held there, but before that the army staged a coup in 1958. The then Pakistani Army Chief General Muhammad Ayub Khan took power. Martial law was imposed in Pakistan, the constitution was dissolved. Ayub Khan remained the President of Pakistan till 1969. During his tenure, a new constitution was brought in Pakistan in 1962. Under this constitution, a presidential system like America was implemented.
It was during the rule of Ayub Khan that Pakistan went to war with India in 1965. Pakistan had to face defeat in this war. Later, gradually the atmosphere started turning against Ayub Khan and he resigned in 1969.
Pakistan suffered a big blow in 1971
After Ayub Khan, General Yahya Khan took command of Pakistan. He remained the President of Pakistan till December 1971. Yahya Khan ruled for some time only, but during this period Pakistan suffered its biggest setback. In 1971, Pakistan was divided into two parts and East Pakistan became a new country as Bangladesh. Yahya Khan held general elections in 1970 but did not hand over power to the Awami League of East Pakistan despite victory. Due to which anger grew in East Pakistan and protests took place. The situation became like a civil war. Later Yahya Khan conducted a military operation there, after which the fire in East Pakistan could not be quelled and it separated from Pakistan.
During this period, Pakistan also had a 13-day war with India, in which it had to face immense embarrassment. Pakistan Army had to surrender to the Indian Army in Dhaka and the country was also divided into two parts. After this, Yahya Khan had to hand over power to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto remained the Prime Minister of Pakistan till 1977.
Zia-ul-Haq removed Bhutto from power
Elections were held in Pakistan in 1977 and Bhutto formed the government again, but in July this year the army again staged a coup. This time General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq captured power. Zia-ul-Haq ordered the arrest of Bhutto, her ministers and leaders of the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan National Alliance. He dissolved the National Assembly of Pakistan and all the provincial assemblies. The Constitution was also suspended.
Zia-ul-Haq died in 1988 and till then he remained the President of Pakistan. There were no elections in Pakistan during this period. It was during his rule that Bhutto was sentenced to death. Bhutto was hanged on 4 April 1979 in the Central Jail of Rawalpindi. After the death of Zia-ul-Haq, elections were held again in Pakistan in 1988.
Musharraf ousts Sharif from power
After this, in 1999, there was a coup once again in Pakistan. This time the Army Chief was General Pervez Musharraf and the Prime Minister was Nawaz Sharif. Musharraf was the President of Pakistan from 2001 to 2008. In 1999 itself, Pakistan had a war with India in Kargil. In this also Pakistan has to face losses. This affects the relations between Nawaz Sharif and Pervez Musharraf. Nawaz Sharif decides to change the army chief, this displeases Pervez Musharraf and he carries out a coup.
During Musharraf's tenure, general elections were held in Pakistan in 2002 on the orders of the Supreme Court. Musharraf conducts elections. This time he wants to rule by taking majority from the public. The pro-Musharraf PML-Q won these elections, although it did not get a majority. PML-Q formed the government in alliance with other parties. Musharraf remained president. There was a change of power in 2008 and PPP formed a coalition government with PML (N). Yousuf Raza Gilani of PPP became the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
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