WHKMLA : History of Pakistan, since 1971

1947-1971

Pakistan since 1971

The year 1971 marks a new beginning for Pakistan, hitherto West Pakistan, to which the country was reduced after Bangla Desh, the former East Pakistan, declared her independence. In fact this separation turned out to be a blessing, as Bangla Desh went on to become one of the poorest countries of the planet; it was no longer a burden on Pakistan's treasury.
The relation with archenemy India continued to dominate Pakistan's foreign and military policy. Pakistan was engaged in an arms race with India; in 1998 both countries declared to be in the possession of nuclear bombs. The most burning issue of conflict is the Kashmir situation, unsolved since 1947; Pakistan claims all of Kashmir because of the clear population majority being Muslim; India has occupied the larger part of the province, basing her claim on the territory on the Raja of Jammu & Kashmir's 1947 decision to opt for India.
In 1971, President Yahya Khan stepped down and ZULFIKAR ALI BHUTTO, leader of the PPP (Pakistan's Peoples' Party) succeeded him in office. In 1972 Pakistan left both the Commonwealth and SEATO; the Pakistani government nationalized major industries (steel ind., chemical ind., cement industry; insurances, domestic banks, schools, universities). In July 1972 the relations with India were normalized, a new constitution passed in 1973. According to it, Pakistan was a federation, consisting of 4 parts - Punjab, Sindh, North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan. Islam was declared state religion. In 1973 Pakistan recognized Bangladesh. Pakistan became a Chinese ally; the KARAKORUM HIGHWAY was built to connect both countries.
In 1977, the Bhutto administration was toppled by a military coup d'etat. ZIA UL HAQ assumed the presidency; he had ex-pm Bhutto executed; martial law was declared, which lasted until 1985. During his rule, the USSR invaded Afghanistan; much of the military aid channeled by the US into Afghanistan to support the Mujahedeen rebels went through Pakistan, which also became host to millions of Afghan refugees - an additional burden to the strained Pakistani economy. When democracy returned to Pakistan, a range of parties contested the elections. BENAZIR BHUTTO, daughter of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1988-1990, 1993-1996), at the head of the PPP, alternated in the office of premier with her main competitor, NAWAZ SHARIF (1990-1993, 1996-1999). Under Sharif, reforms were undertaken to liberalize the economy, which was in a desolate shape. Also the SHARIAH was incorporated into Pakistani law. The government undertook steps against the MQM (Mohajir Qami Movement, a political organization representing the Urdu-speaking Muslims who fled India and who form the majority in the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad; the movement was accused of backing terrorist attacks).
In 1999 another military coup d'etat brought General PERVEZ MUSHARRAF to power. Kashmiri Muslim insurgents, which already had enjoyed the goodwill of the Benazir Bhutto administration, felt supported by Pakistan and launched a campaign to liberate Kashmir; they were defeated by the regular Indian army. The event lead to the deterioration of Indo-Pakistani relations (in 1998 both governments had announced that they had gone nuclear). Hopes invested in a 2001 Vajpayee-Musharraf meeting did not materialize; the Kashmir issue remains unsolved.

Unlike neighbour India, Pakistan has not (yet) succeeded in establishing a stable democracy. The socialist experiments of the Z. Bhutto administration have harmed the economy; the costly arms race with India did not help improving the country's economy either. Pakistan experiences ethnic and religious antagonism, violent clashes between Shiites and Sunnites. The Urdu-speaking immigrants from India, represented by the MQM, are dissatisfied. Pakistan is host to millions of refugees from the Afghan wars. When, after the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon on September 11th 2002, the US launched a war of retaliation against the Taliban, Pakistan cautiously supported the action, rightfully pointing out that it most likely would experience another stream of refugees fleeing onto Pakistani borders, an economic burden the international community should share.

EXTERNAL
FILES

Timeline Pakistan, from BBC News
History of Pakistan, from Story of Pakistan
History of Pakistan, by Pak Azadi

DOCUMENTS

REFERENCE

Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1972 pp. 535-537 (on events of 1971) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1973 pp. 525-526 (on events of 1972) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1974 pp. 531-532 (on events of 1973) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1975 pp. 540-542 (on events of 1974) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1976 pp. 546-547 (on events of 1975) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1977 pp. 548-549 (on events of 1976) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1978 pp. 573-574 (on events of 1977) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1979 pp. 565-566 (on events of 1978) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1980 pp. 563-564 (on events of 1979) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1981 pp. 564-566 (on events of 1980) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1982 pp. 566-568 (on events of 1981) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1983 pp. 559-561 (on events of 1982) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1984 pp. 558-559 (on events of 1983) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1985 pp. 512, 755 (on events of 1984) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1986 p. 754 (on events of 1985) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1988 pp. 433-434, 674 (on events of 1987) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1989 p. 674 (on events of 1988) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1990 pp. 450-451, 690 (on events of 1989) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1993 pp. 407, 687 (on events of 1992) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1994 pp. 408-409, 688 (on events of 1993) [G]
Article Pakistan, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1995 pp. 454-455, 686 (on events of 1994) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1975-1976 pp. 1209-1215 (data of 1974-1975) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1978-1979 pp. 944-952 (data of 1977-1978) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1980-1981 pp. 951-960 (data of 1979-1980) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1983-1984 pp. 948-956 (data of 1982-1983) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1984-1985 pp. 948-957 (data of 1983-1984) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1985-1986 pp. 949-957 (data of 1984-1985) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1987-1988 pp. 954-963 (data of 1986-1987) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1988-1989 pp. 956-965 (data of 1987-1988) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1989-1990 pp. 968-977 (data of 1988-1989) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1990-1991 pp. 970-979 (data of 1989-1990) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1991-1992 pp. 970-979 (data of 1990-1991) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1992-1993 pp. 1057-1066 (data of 1991-1992) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1993-1994 pp. 1056-1064 (data of 1992-1993) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1994-1995 pp. 1056-1063 (data of 1993-1994) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1995-1996 pp. 1048-1055 (data of 1994-1995) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1996-1997 pp. 1002-1009 (data of 1995-1996) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1997-1998 pp. 1009-1016 (data of 1996-1997) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 1998-1999 pp. 1088-1096 (data of 1997-1998) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 2000 pp. 1232-1241 (data of 1998-1999) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 2001 pp. 1203-1211 (data of 1999-2000) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 2002 pp. 1251-1259 (data of 2000-2001) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 2003 pp. 1251-1259 (data of 2001-2002) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 2004 pp. 1256-1265 (data of 2002-2003) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The Statesman's Year-Book 2005 pp. 1266-1275 (data of 2003-2004) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The World in Figures 1st ed. 1976 pp.190-192 [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The World in Figures 2nd ed. 1978 pp.190-192 [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : The World in Figures 4th ed. 1984 pp.190-192 [G]
Entry : Travel Warnings - Pakistan, pp.566-570 in : Countries of the World and their Leaders Yearbook, 2000, Supplement [G]
Entry : Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Cabinet, pp.47-49; Background Notes, pp.1001-1010, in : Countries of the World and their Leaders Yearbook, 2003 [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1973 pp.527-528 (on events of 1972) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1974 pp.460-461 (on events of 1973) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1976 pp.443-445 (on events of 1975) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1989 pp.418-419 (on events of 1988) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1990 pp.417-418 (on events of 1989) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1992 pp.419-421 (on events of 1991) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1993 pp.417-419 (on events of 1992) [G]
Article : Pakistan, in : Americana Annual 1994 pp.418-419 (on events of 1993) [G]
Entry : Pakistan, pp.798-801 in : IMF, International Financial Statistics Yearbook 2001 [G]

This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted on May 27th 2002, last revised on October 28th 2006

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