D emocracy in P akistan

D emocracy in P akistan After Pakistan framed its first constitution, General Ayub Khan took over the administration of the country and soon got himself elected. He had to give up office when there was popular dissatisfaction against his rule. This gave way to a military takeover once again under General Yahya Khan. During Yahya’s military rule, Pakistan faced the Bangladesh crisis, and after a war with India in , East Pakistan broke away to emerge as an independent country called Bangladesh. After this, an elected government under the leadership of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to power in Pakistan from to . The Bhutto government was removed by General Zia- ul-Haq in . General Zia faced a pro-democracy movement from onwards and an elected democratic government was established once again in under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto. In the period that followed, Pakistani politics centred around the competition between her party, the Pakistan People’s Party, and the Muslim TIMELINE OF SOUTH ASIA SINCE : India and Pakistan emerge as independent nations after the end of British rule : Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) gains independence; Indo-Pak conflict over Kashmir - : Pakistan joins the Cold War military blocs, SEATO and CENTO : India and Pakistan sign the Indus Waters Treaty : Border conflict between India and China : Indo-Pak War; UN India-Pakistan Observation Mission : India and Pakistan sign the Tashkent Agreement; Six-point proposal of Sheikh Mujib-ur Rahman for greater autonomy to East Pakistan March : Proclamation of Independence by leaders of Bangladesh August : Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship signed for years December : Indo-Pak War, Liberation of Bangladesh July: India and Pakistan sign the Simla Agreement May: India conducts nuclear test : Pakistan and Bangladesh establish diplomatic ties December: South Asian leaders sign the SAARC Charter at the first summit in Dhaka : Indo-Sri Lanka Accord; Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operation in Sri Lanka ( - ) : India sends troops to the Maldives to foil a coup attempt by mercenaries India and Pakistan sign the agreement not to attack nuclear installations and facilities of each other - : Democracy restoration in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal December: India and Bangladesh sign the Farakka Treaty for sharing of the Ganga Waters May: India and Pakistan conduct nuclear tests December: India and Sri Lanka sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) February: Indian PM Vajpayee undertakes bus journey to Lahore to sign a Peace Declaration June-July: Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan July: Vajpayee - Musharraf Agra Summit unsuccessful January: SAFTA signed at the 12th SAARC Summit in Islamabad : Afghanistan joins SAARC November: The th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal