ROLE OF MILITARY IN POLITICS

Pakistan has seen three different military tenures and has been under military rule for almost
half of its history. The role of the army in Pakistani politics and administration is undeniable and
the military has been the driving force for many constitutional changes in the history of
Pakistan.
The Pakistan army claims to be the most disciplined and organized institution of the country
and has played pivotal roles in all aspects of nation-building, from defense to politics. Military
involvement in politics has been a two-edged sword for Pakistan, having both pros and cons for
the country.

Factors Behind Military Interventions

Time and again, Pakistan has seen a fair share of civil disruptions and unrest, and the army has
always been at the forefront to establish peace in the country. High civil dependence on the
army, from appointing army personnel on major civil positions to establishment of roads and
infrastructure, increased military influence in the country. Combined with political decay and
unsteady government offices, army could easily be drawn into politics and public
administration. Pakistan's military has been an important organization since the beginning due
to immediate boundary disputes and the Kashmir issue with India. There was always adequate
funding for the army, and it always had an authoritative say over the financial policy of the
country. Power resided with the army, and integrated with ambitious army leaders, gaining
additional political influence was not a difficult task. Moreover, a leadership vacuum was
created after the demise of Quaid-e-Azam and the assassination of Liaqat Ali Khan. Major
instability followed as Pakistan saw six different Prime Ministers from 1953 to 1958. Such
unstable government, political disputes, and lack of leadership encouraged ambitious army
chiefs to take control of the country and exercise their own methods to govern the state.

Martial Law has been imposed thrice in Pakistan:

MUHAMMAD ARHAM
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 FIRST MILITARY TENURE UNDER AYUB KHAN

Ayub Khan’s political influence had started to grow since 1954 when he signed the CENTO
agreement and later became Defense Minister of Pakistan. Between 1954 and 1958, there was
a rapid change in personnel and disputes over constitutional agreements, One-Unit Scheme.
Fearing being dismissed from his position, President Iskandar Mirza started the coup on 8
October 1958, and Ayub Khan was made the Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA). He later
ousted Iskandar Mirza and established control as President of Pakistan. In 1960, a general
referendum, with a turnout of 95.6 percent, confirmed people’s confidence in Ayub Khan, who
then established the Presidential system in the country.
The next decade came to be known as the “Decade of Development” or the Golden age of
Pakistan. Rapid economic development followed due to change in economic policies but on the
other hand, his political and constitutional decisions are also highly criticized.
The 1956 Constitution had been abrogated because of martial rule, and Ayub Khan appointed
Chief Justice Shahabuddin, to work on a new constitution. The commission reported in 1961 but
Ayub Khan was dissatisfied with the recommendations of the commission. He then took it upon
himself to formulate the constitution and completed altered the constitution to reflect his
personal views and decisions. In 1962, the new Constitution was promulgated, and martial law
was lifted, reestablishing Ayub Khan as President. The system established 80,000 Basic
Democrats who elected the President making it easier for him to influence them. Besides, Islam
was not declared as the state religion, though “Muslim Family Laws” which banned polygamy
was passed.
Ayub Khan’s tenure is best remembered for the rapid industrialization of the country.
Megaprojects including dams, power stations, and barrages were completed but all projects
were in West Pakistan and Ayub Khan was highly criticized for this. The annual GDP growth in
the country was at 6.8 percent. He also introduced changes in educational curricula and built
major public-sector universities. He is also well known for his Agricultural Reforms in which no
person could occupy more than 12.5 acres of land. However, it did not establish economic
stability in the country as influential handed land to dependents beforehand. This led to further
financial disparity as wealth accumulated within 20 families whereas 5 million people fell below
the poverty line.
In 1964, Ayub Khan established Pakistan Muslim League (PML) that played an influential role in
Pakistani politics for years to come. Ayub Khan fought elections from PML’s ticket and was re-
elected President of Pakistan although he was accused of rigging election results. Similar rule
followed till 1969 when Ayub Khan was forced to resign due to nationwide protests and unrest.

MUHAMMAD ARHAM
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MUHAMMAD ARHAM
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 SECOND MILITARY TENURE

Yahya Khan dissolved assemblies and assumed the office of President in 1969. Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto became the first civilian Martial Law administrator. Marital law was quickly deposed,
and general elections were held in 1971. Mujib-ur-Rehman won the majority from East Pakistan
but was given power. This led to major riots and civil unrest, ultimately leading to civil war and
the 1971 war with India. Bangladesh achieved independence as a result and Pakistan lost its
East Wing during this tenure. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of PPP became Prime Minster and assumed
control of the country.

THIRD MILITARY TENURE UNDER ZIA-UL-HAQ

Following civil disorders, increasing conflict within PPP, and failure to reach a compromise
between Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and PNA, opposition leaders called for Bhutto’s regime to be
overthrown. On 21 April 1977, Zia-ul-Haq initiated a carefully planned coup, called “Operation
Fair Play”, and established himself as President. Although initially, Zia promised to hold
elections with 90 days, he later adopted his policy of “Retribution First, Elections later”.
Bhutto was trialed and hanged on 4 April 1979 on accusations of killing a political competitor.
Zia gave secondary importance to economic policy, yet the country saw stable GNP growth of
6.8 percent and there was a rapid increase in remittances accounting for up to 3.2 billion dollars
per year. In Constitutional developments, Zia passed the 8th Amendment in the 1973
Constitution giving the President the power to dissolve assemblies and declare a state of
emergency. Moreover, the Atomic Bomb Program was consolidated during his reign.
Zia’s main aim was the Islamization of Pakistan as he passed several Shariah Laws. The Hudood
Ordinance was passed that established Shariah punishment for crimes such as adultery, theft,
and fornication. The Zakat and Ushr Ordinance was passed in 1980 and Blasphemy Ordinances
were passed in 1982. Islamic and Martial Courts were set up.
Furthermore, the Soviet-Afghan war occurred during his time, which heavily influenced the
foreign policy of the country. Pakistan was involved in helping Afghanistan and denied Soviet
and access to waters in Pakistan.

MUHAMMAD ARHAM
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 Reign of General Pervez Musharraf

Kargil Conflict had greatly decreased Nawaz Sharif’s repute as Prime Minister and he feared a
political coup. He aimed to remove Chief of Army Pervez Musharraf when he was in Sri Lanka.
This failed as military officials refused to accept this decision, and military troops were
mobilized towards Islamabad. Nawaz Sharif was placed under house arrest. Pervez Musharraf
declared a state of emergency abrogating the constitution. He assumed power as Chief
Executive and established a military council to govern the country.
In terms of constitutional changes, the 1973 constitution was reestablished, but the 17 th
Amendment was passed under his rule. It effectively reestablished the 8 th Amendment after it
had been revoked by the 13th Amendment. Pervez Musharraf gained emergency powers and
could then dissolve the National and Provincial Assemblies.
In domestic policies, Musharraf gained the support of PML(Q) and Prime Ministers were
subsequently chosen from PML(Q) after the 2002 general elections. Moreover, Musharraf
promised to eradicated corruption from civil services and bureaucracy. He also passed the
“Women Protection Bill” in 2006 to counter Hudood Ordinance during Zia’s Tenure. Women’s
representation in assemblies was increased by reserving seats that led to increased
participation in later elections.
A major role of Musharraf was in an anti-terrorism war in support of the USA. The September
11 attacks and aftereffects on the Soviet-Afghan war led to an increase in Taliban and extremist
attacks in Pakistan, specifically Baluchistan and NWFP.
Musharraf was also involved in Nuclear scandals that further deteriorated relations with the
USA. He denied any government involvement in nuclear proliferation, but ARD investigations
backfired. Abdul Qadeer Khan remained popular, and Nawaz Sharif and Zardari used this to
push for Musharraf’s resignation, as public opinion had turned against him.

CONCLUSION

The military involvement in Pakistani politics has brought benefits for the country in terms of
economic benefits, yet such tenures are unacceptable for a country’s international repute.
There are also detrimental effects on the constitutional and democratic stability of a country.
Therefore, there is a need to limit the army’s political involvement or introduce a blend of the
civil and military system that set bars for political involvement.
MUHAMMAD ARHAM
CMS ID: 333595