Pakistani Dictator Zia-ul-Haq 1977-1988

On July 5, 1977, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (whose name means "Muhammad - Light of the Truth") overthrew Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in a bloodless military coup d'état to take control of Pakistan, known as Operation Fairplay. He immediately imposed martial law, which quickly took the form of strict Islamic Sharia law. The U.S. was accused of helping to overthrow Bhutto to prevent the development of a Pakistani nuclear reprocessing plant.
The elections he had promised during the coup were of course postponed. The excuse was that the higher priority for Pakistan was for the politicians that had forced Zia's hand to enact his coup needed to be held accountable. The "retribution first, elections later" plan was enacted, and several politicians, including ousted Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, were found guilty of malpractice and they were disqualified from participating in Pakistani politics.

After being elected President, Zia-ul-Haq decided to hold elections in the country in February 1985 on a non-party basis. Most of the opposing political parties decided to boycott the elections but election results showed that many victors belonged to one party or the other. To make things easier for himself, the General nominated the Prime Minister from amongst the Members of the Assembly. Before handing over the power to the new Government and lifting martial law, Zia got the new legislature to retroactively accept all of Zia's actions of the past eight years, including his coup of 1977. He also managed to get several amendments passed, most notably the Eighth Amendment, which granted "reserve powers" to the president to dissolve the National Assembly. However, this amendment considerably reduced the power he'd previously granted himself to dissolve the legislature, at least on paper. The text of the amendment permitted Zia to dissolve the Assembly only if 1) the Cabinet had been toppled by a vote of no confidence and it was obvious that no one could form a government or 2) the government could not function in a constitutional manner.

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• Pakistani
• Dictator
• General
• Zia-ul-Haq
• 1977
• 1988
• July
• Prime
• Minister
• Zulfikar
• Ali
• Bhutto
• Eighth
• Amendment

[keashur]

LISTEN brothers ,im not a pakistani,but im a musim,,,let me tell u peopl efranklly that history sas pakista never acheived anything from democracy..the golden period of pakistan history was Zia Ul haq periodand Musharaf period,...Lobg live pakistan

[pakistanconstitution]

Hahahaha..if you not pakistani how you know about our internal issues and problems. pakistani people love democracy, and these zia and mush is Animals

[pakistanconstitution]

where you from? come pakistan man and then talk

[MrSuperaman]

@pakistanconstitution frm wikipedia "Between 1977 and 1986, the country experienced an average annual growth in the GNP of 6.8%, one of the highest in the world at that time."

and wht is the condition of pak now..???

No Electricity,no petrol,no food. More over americans attacked two times on pak: 1-abottabad 2-salalah check post.....!!!!

[labka2]

MARDOOD !!!!! MUNAFIQ !!!!! KAZAB !!!!!!

[IndoAtheist]

there was a similarity between Zia-ul-Haq and general SUHARTO here in indonesia both men are army general,military dictator,american puppet,killing many people (SUHARTO was killing millions worst than POL POT but USA turns their human rights face because he's a closed ally,in the end he was deposed by his own master in 1998 when economic disaster swept ASIA),banned free press,corrupt,oligarchy and had their power from military coup

[Imran945]

@keashur yes you can neither be Pakistani nor Muslim!!! Your ID shows your reality and words speaks your mentality !!

[MegaAkash12]

mossad to open secret bases in wah khan and Peshawar during that time many of Israeli agents were able to spy on Pakistan’s nuclear program .7.in 1984 when Indian army captured the sia chin, he said no problem let the Indians take that piece of ice where was his jihad concept then? 8. He followed US interests in afghan war.9 he was the pioneer of sectarian hate in pakistan.10 his hands are covered in blood of millions of muslims.11. He was Jews agent who destroys the vision of Islamic block.

[Paki9190]

@pakistanconstitution you are absolutely wrong. We dont care if Musharraf broke te contitution or anything like that. what we just wanted was every single poor and middle class should get his rights and thats what they were getting in Musharraf Era. Care to explain what is the situation of Pakistan now under democratic rule ?

[Drzhivago11]

LIAR!