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Capital: Islamabad
Language: Urdu
Religion: Islam
Currency: Pakistani Rupees
The HISTORY of PAKISTAN encompasses the history of the region constituting modern Pakistan. Prior to independence in
1947, the land that is now Pakistan was ruled in different periods by local kings and numerous imperial powers. The ancient history of the comprising present day Pakistan also includes some of the oldest empires of Indian Subcontinent and sum of its major civilizations.
By the
18th century the land was incorporated into British India. Pakistan's Political History began with the birth of the All Indian Muslim League in 1906 to protect "Muslim interests,amid neglect and under-representation" and to oppose Congress and growing Indian nationalism in return the
BRITISH RAJ would decide to grant local self rule.
On 29 December 1930, Philosopher Muhammad Iqbal called for an autonomous new state in "northwestern India for Indian Muslims". The league rose to popularity in late
1930's.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah espoused the Two Nation Theory and led the league to adopt the
Lahore resolution of 1940, demanding the formation of independent states in the east and the west of British India. Eventually, a successful Moment led by Jinnah gained independence from the British, on
14 AUGUST 1947.
On 12 March 1949, the first constituent assembly of Pakistan passed the objective resolution which was proposed by the first
Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan proclaimed that the future constitution of Pakistan would not be modeled entirely on a European pattern, but on the ideology and democratic faith of Islam. The legislative Elections in
1954 saw the
Awami League coming to power and its leader
Huseyn Suhrawardy becoming countries first Bengali Prime Minister. Promulgation of constitution in
1956 lead to Pakistan declaring itself Islamic Republic (official name) with the adoption of Parliamentary democratic system of government. The constitution transformed the Governor General of Pakistan into President of Pakistan (as head of state). Subsequently,
Iskander Mirza became the first President as well as first Bengali in 1956, but the democratic system was stalled after President Mirza imposed the military coup d'etat and appointed Ayub Khan as an enforcer of material Law. Two weeks later, President Mirza was ousted by Ayub Khan; his Presidency saw an era of internal instability and a secondary war with India In 1965. Economic grievances and political disenfranchisement in east Pakistan led to violent political tensions and armed repression, escalating into
Guerrilla war followed by the third war with India. After an intense guerrilla insurgency, followed by war with India, the state of East Pakistan seperated at a considerable distance from the rest of Pakistan and became the independent state of
Bangladesh in 1971.
Pakistan's defeat in the war ultimately led to the secession of East Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh.
Democracy again returned which was resumed from
1972 to 1977 under leftest
PPP led by the
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, untill he was vanquished by
General Zia-ul-Haq , who became the third military President. Pakistan's Banished secular policies were replaced by the New Islamic
SHARIAH legal code, which increased religious influences on the civil service and the military. With the death of
President Zia-ul-Haq in 1988, the general elections announced the victory of
PPP led by Benazir Bhutto who was elevated as the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan over the next decade, she alternated power with conservative
Pakistan Muslim League-N (PMLN) led by
Nawaz Sharif, as the country's political and economic situation becoming worsen. Military tensions in the
Kargil conflict with India were followed by a
1999 coup d'etat in which
General pervez Musharraf assumed executive powers.
Self appointing himself as President after the Resignation of President
Rafiq Tara, Musharraf held nation wide general elections in 2002 to transfer the executive powers to newly elected
Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who was succeeded in
2004 by Shoukat Aziz. During the election compaign in
2007 following the Parliament completing its term on
15 November 2007.
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated which resulted in a series of important political developments when left-wing alliance led by
PPP. The Historic general elections held in
2013 marked the return of
PML(N) coming to national prominence with
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assuming the leadership of the country for the
third time in the History.
