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Pakistan
The Army Assumes Control
The developing relationship with the United States was only one
of the dramatic experiences that the military underwent in the
late 1950s. The political system had been performing very poorly,
especially since the assassination of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali
Khan in 1951 (see Constitutional and Political Inheritance , ch.
4). There was increasing public disillusionment with the system
and little respect for political leaders, who were seen as incompetent
and corrupt. In fact, decision-making power had been moving inexorably
away from the leaders of the political parties and into the hands
of the two national institutions that were seen as competent and
honest--the bureaucracy and the army.
On October 7, 1958, President Iskander Mirza annulled the 1956
constitution by proclamation, dissolved the national and provincial
assemblies, and banned political parties. Asserting that if Pakistan
were to be saved, the army would have to assume political control.
Mirza then declared martial law and appointed General Ayub Khan
chief martial law administrator. Twenty days later, Ayub moved
against Mirza, sending him into exile, and assumed the office
of president himself. Thus began the second role of the military--self-appointed
guardian of domestic affairs of state as well as defender against
external enemies. The results were mixed, both for Pakistan and
for its soldiers. The military continued to enjoy preferred access
to resources in Pakistan, and an elaborate system of quasi-governmental
bodies provided economic opportunities for military personnel,
especially after retirement. The country as a whole welcomed army
rule, which brought a period of stability and rapid economic growth
and vigorously attacked the corruption that beset the country.
The army ruled with a firm but light hand, retaining ultimate
control but working largely through the bureaucracy.
Economic gains, however, were so badly distributed that they
seemed hollow for many Pakistanis. The involvement of military
personnel in governing detracted from their primary mission. Although
the military remained popular, it became associated with the political
divisions of the country and was no longer solely the symbol of
national unity. Opposition began to develop, especially among
intellectuals and politicians.
Ayub Khan lifted martial law in 1962, replacing it with an authoritarian
constitution under which he was elected president (see Basic Democracies
, ch. 1; Ayub Khan, 1958-69 , ch. 4). While the new system had
some constructive features, it failed to gain public support,
and even though the army was no longer governing the country,
Ayub Khan and his system were seen as unpopular manifestations
of military rule.
Data as of April 1994
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