Pak study by Naveed

Part 2
Political phases: 1947-58, 1958-71, 1971-77, 1977-88, 1988-99, 1999 to 2008
The Kashmir War
Fake Annexation of Kashmir with India
Raja did everything to crush the freedom movement of the Kashmiri people. He forced
slaughtered 2 lac Kashmiris but the movement got momentum with time. Being unable to handle
the situation in Kashmir, the Raja requested India to come to his rescue. Indian government
offered help on the condition to get Raja’s signature on the document of annexation. Raja utterly
refused and the Indian government prepared a fake document of annexation in which the state of
Jammu and Kashmir had annexed with India.

 Nehru had publicly revered the principle of partition by occupying Junagadh and then
Kashmir-assuming Pakistan would not survive.
 The Dogra forces within Kashmir had begun a massacre in Poonch and relatives of these
Muslims, from Pakistan's tribal areas, invaded Kashmir in retaliation.
 The Pakistan Army was not able to halt their advance even when they looted Muslim
property in Rawalpindi. To take action against them would have strengthened the demand
for Pakhtoonistan, a demand supported by Congress.
 India stated that it entered Kashmir because the Maharaja had signed an Instrument of
Accession to India. It evidently was never signed. No one has ever seen it. Nehru
Two Resolutions of the Security Council
The Security Council passed the following resolution.
• Both the parties (Pakistan and India) were advised to accept a cease-fire.
• The dispute of Kashmir must be resolved according to the aspirations of the people. For
this purpose, a plebiscite was not be held.
The Kashmiri freedom fighters co-operated with the Security Council to bring about peace.
Two Wars between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir Issue
The armed struggle stopped in Kashmir on Security Council’s promise of holding a plebiscite.
But unfortunately, the Security Council could do nothing in face of the interests of the major
powers. The plebiscite could not be held and the Kashmir is deprived of their basic rights.This
tyranny led to two wars between India and Pakistan. The wars resulted in nothing but blind
bloodshed. Security Council passed more resolutions but nothing was done practically.

The Jinnah Era 1947-1948

 The Quaid-i-Azam's death, only thirteen months after independence was a great setback
for Pakistan. it was because of him that Pakistan came into existence.
  On I1 August 1947, his speech giving equal rights to minorities was the result of year of
deliberation.
In 1948, he envisaged Pakistan as a modern state, not a theocracy. He chastised Muslim refugees
for rioting against Hindus in Karachi.
 He held out friendship to all, upholding the UN Charter. He believed in leaning towards
the West but not annoying the USSR-though he noted that the latter was the only country
not to congratulate Pakistan on its creation.
 He undertook a personal imitative regarding Afghanistan. the only country to oppose
Pakistan's membership of the UN.
 He strongly supported the Palestinian cause and upheld Indonesia's independence.
 He supported Urdu as Pakistan's national language and warned the people against
provincialism.
 He advocated Islam socialism and social Justice.
 Industrialization was to be the key to development. Banking should be compatible with
Islamic principles. He supported careers in commerce for young people.
 He did not want a rule by the bureaucracy.
He significantly altered the course of history, modified the map of the world and created a nation
state.
The Liaquat Era 1948-1951
 Liaquat Ali Khan (1895-1951). Prime Minister of Pakistan was the Honorary Secretary of
the AIML and Leader of the Interim Government bloc.
 He had the magnetism to lead the country effectively after the Quaid-i-Azam's death.
There were many challenges and he was only able to meet some of them.
On 12 March 1949 with regard to the constitution, he presented the Objectives Resolution. The
Interim Report of 1956 proved unpopular and had to be withdrawn.
 Liaquat Ali Khan gave precedence to the Muslim League over parliament, and this
resulted in the formation of twenty-one opposition parties. There were constant tussles
between him and the various provinces.
 He did obtain favorable resolutions from the U N, as these called for an impartial
plebiscite in Kashmir.
 He made rapid strides towards industrialization. He formed two Pakistan industrial
corporations. one for large and one for small-scale industries.
 He kept provisions for private entrepreneur partnerships.
He refused to devalue the rupee, and when India devalued its currency, it refused to buy jute
Pakistan largest commodity. The Prime Minister stood behind the East Bengal jute rowers
 He accelerated Bengali recruitment in both the armed and civil services
 However, he could not decentralize power He constructed the 107 mile long BRB Canal
on the Punjab border and in the 1951 Indo-Pak crises he showed a strength which
lowered the tension
He negotiated the Liaquat-Nehru Pact, giving protections to minorities in both countries.
 On 16 October 1951, he was assassinated in Rawalpindi

Experiment in Democracy 1951-58

 Following Liaquat Ali Khan's assassination there was instability. Six prime ministers
served during the next eight years.
 Khwaja Nazımuddin, the second Governor General, became the second prime minister.
The new Governor General, Ghulam Mohammad, carried on many intrigues, giving
himself many powers.
 There was food shortage and anti- Ahmadi riots that took place in the Punjab.
 Khwaja Nazimuddin was blamed for both. He opposed Bengali being declared a national
language, even though he was a Bengali, and this brought the Language Movement to a
head.
 On 17 April 1953, Ghulam Mohammad dismissed Khwaja Nazimuddin as Prime
Minister.
 Mohammad Ali Bogra was appointed Prime Minister. He was a non-representative
Bengali and in the 1954 provincial elections, the United Front defeated the Muslim
League.
 On 3 May 1954, Fazlul Huq, the new Chief Minister of East Bengal, declared in Calcutta
that he did not believe in Pakistan.
 Maulana Bhashani led protests against him. He resigned but was later appointed
governor of the province.
 On 24 October 1954, the Governor General dissolved the Constituent Assembly.
 The Prime Minister accepted the decision but the speaker Tamizuddin Khan challenged
the action in the Sindh High Court.
 In 1955, the Federal Court decided in favor of the Governor General Ghulam
Mohammad.
 The new Prime Minister, Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, was a bureaucrat. He favored
merging all 4 provinces into one unit.
  On 5 October 1955, the One Unit Plan came into effect.
 On 29 February 1956, he gave Pakistan a constitution.
 Pakistan was now an Islamic Republic within the Commonwealth.
 On 8 September 1956, the new Republican Party forced Chaudhry Mohammad Ali's
resignation.
 The next Prime Minister, Hussain Suhrawardy, was a seasoned politician and a leading
barrister.
 He had been Chief Minister of Bengal during the Great Calcutta Killings of August 1946
and had stayed with Gandhi in Calcutta to keep peace during Partition.
 He had been involved in a plan for a united Bengal, supported by Hindus and by the
Quaid-i-Azam, but turned down by Nehru.
 Suhrawardy called himself the last bridge between the eastern and western wings of
Pakistan.
 However, his support of the 1956 British attack on the Suez Canal, was a negative aspect
of his career, especially as he described Muslim Countries as 'zeroes’.
 He was against the Two nation theory. The defection of Maulana Bhashani and the
Republican Party enabled President Iskander Mirza to force his resignation.
 The next Prime Minister was I.I. Chundrigar-from 18 October to 16 December 1957. He
resigned over the question of separate or joint electorates.
The seventh Prime Minister was Sir Feroze Khan Noon who remained in office for seven month,
1l December 1957 to 7 October 1958, when he was removed in Pakistan's first military coup.
This democratic but unstable era saw industrial progress.

The Ayub Khan Era 1958-1969

 At first the army cracked down on corrupt civil servants, black marketeers and
smugglers.
 Traffic and civic rules were strictly imposed and the common man was pleased.
 In East Pakistan, martial law Was a failure. The 1959 elections were postponed.
 Ayub khan introduced a system of indirect elections called Basic Democracy (BD).
 The Electoral College would be directly elected and the "Basic Democrats' would then
elect the President and the National and Provincial Assembly members.
 The BDs would also run local government and union councils.
 In theory this was meant to provide services to the people, but actually there was
coercion and corruption. Punishments under martial law were harsh.
 In 1962, Ayub lifted Martial Law and promulgated Pakistan's second constitution, which
was presidential.
 Suhrawardy led anti-constitution demonstrations, but these were contained due to the
great popularity of East Pakistan's Governor, General Azam Khan.
 Many reforms in law, education and family planning sectors were begun.
 The Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) set up units in the public
sector and sold them to the private sector.
 Industrial development took long strides under Ayub and was long-lasting.
 Ayub wanted to spread wealth regionally rather than socially. It eventually was
unbalanced regionally, especially in East Pakistan.
 Labor law was weighted heavily in favor of the capitalists. Dr Mahboobul Hag. Chief
Economist of the Planning Commission, said the nation's wealth was held by 22 families.
 Heavy industry did not develop because capital goods were being freely imported and the
consumer goods industry was given incentives.
 Bonus Vouchers, which could be purchased on the open market, were meant to subsidize
imports. The import of some articles, especially books, was greatly curtailed.
 The agricultural labor sector was not properly organized. A Green Revolution was
achieved through mechanized farming, chemical fertilizers and tube wells.
 Irrigation was increased through the Indus Water Treaty in 1960, and the construction of
the Mangla and Warsak dams. Water logging and salinity were tackled on a war footing.
 But most benefits remained with the landlords, with the peasants getting almost nothing.
 Ayub allowed US troops to land in Pakistan at any time, and spy planes over the USSR
used Pakistani territory, as in the US crisis in 1960.
 In 1962, after the Sino-Indian war, the US began arming India, which was a shock for
Pakistan.
 Pak-China friendship grew, and Ayub Khan was the first Pakistani head of state to visit
the USSR in 1964.
 To offset this, the Regional Co-operation for Development (RCD) pact was signed with
Iran and Turkey.
 In January 1965, the first presidential elections were held, in which Miss Fatimah Jinnah
stood against Ayub Khan.
 Ayub won by a 64 per cent majority.
 The 1965 War was preceded by the Ran of Kutch conflict, in which British pressure
caused the border dispute to be submitted to arbitration.
  0n 4 December 1964, India enacted a law in effect declaring Kashmir to be apart of India.

The Indus Water Dispute

 This dispute had its origins in the Radcliffe Awards Ferozepur and Jira being given to
India.
 Muslim majority areas like Gurdaspur, resulted in the Canal Waters dispute.
 The upper Indus Basin was developed as an integrated unit with a vast irrigation network.
 India got the Ferozepur Headwork’s controlling the River Ravi.
 In 1948, India cut off the water to Pakistan in breach of the Arbitral Tribunal
recommendation.
In 1960, Nehru came to Karachi to sign a World Bank agreement on flow of water to Pakistan.
India is continuing with the Baglihar Project, which will upset the 1960 Indus Basin Treaty.

The 1965 War

 In 1964. India made serious moves to declare that Kashmir was an integral part of India.
 The situation became desperate for Pakistan, as it might have had to surrender its claim to
Azad Kashmir, and might be crushed by India in conjunction with Afghanistan.
 The only choice was to prevent India from treating Kashmir as a settled issue, and to
allow self-determination to the Kashmiris.
 Pakistan sent infiltrators into Kashmir on the assurance given to Ayub Khan by Zulfiqar
Ali Bhutto and Foreign Secretary Aziz Ahmed that India would not cross the
international border.
 Perhaps the Chinese leadership encouraged Pakistan in this adventure.
 India retaliated by seizing Kargil on 15 August 1965, to cut the Srinagar-Leh
communications.
 Kargil was retuned after the Tashkent Declaration and remained on the Pakistan side till
1971.
 0n 6 September 1965, India crossed the international border and tried to capture Lahore
ad Sialkot. Lahore was saved by the BRB Canal.
 Pakistan won a great battle at Chowinda, and also made advances in the Khem Karan
Sector.
 In Kashmir, a sudden change of command hampered advances: The Pakistan Air Force
performed in a spectacular manner. The Pakistan Navy took the Indian port of Dwarka.
 Both sides claimed victory initially and subsequently both admitted defeat.
  India was unable to take Lahore and Sialkot, and Pakistan failed in Kashmir. There was a
ceasefire after 17 days of fighting.
 Apart from Malaysia, all Third World countries including Brazil supported Pakistan.
Pakistan was, however, cajoled into accepting a ceasefire without progress in Kashmir.
 The Chinese wanted Pakistan to remain steadfast and if so, it would help Pakistan. Ayub
Khan threw away this opportunity.

The Tashkent Declaration

 These talks lasted from 4 to 10 January 1966. Ayub Khan and Lal Bhadur Shastri led
their respective delegations.
 India wanted a No-War Pact from Pakistan, in order to put the Kashmir dispute into
permanent cold storage.
 Ayub almost agreed but Bhutto had his undertaking cancelled. Kargil was returned to
Pakistan.
 The outcome was disappointing and many demonstrations took place in Pakistan against
the Declaration. Bhutto was arrested, and later the movement resulted in Ayub
resignation. In East Pakistan, a movement called the 6-Points Programme was started, led
by Sheikh Mujib ur Rehman, for a confederation for East and West Pakistan.
 The Agartala Conspiracy Trial led to violent demonstrations and a movement towards
disintegration began.
 Ayub Khan resigned on 24 March 1969.

The Yahya Khan Regime 1969- 71

 On 25 march 1969, Ayub Khan imposed Martial Law, abrogated the 1962 Constitution
and
transferred the office of Chief Martial Law Administration and President to General
Yahya Khan. Yahya asserted he had not staged a coup and was not an elected
representative. He was a soldier on deputed duty.
 On 28 November 1969, Yahya dissolved One Unit, restored the three West Pakistan
provinces and created Baluchistan. Parity between the 2 wings was to be revoked-one
man, one vote was to be used for the National Assembly, which meant East Pakistan
would have a majority.
 On 30 Mach 1970, the Legal Framework Order (LFO) was promulgated. prescribing
limits for elections and the frame work for the constitution.
 A federal republic was to be put in place for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
 The constitution had to be framed within 120 days.
  All provinces would have separate currencies and militias according to the Six Points,
This would not be compatible with the LFO. The Awami League voiced its opposition.
 On 14 August 1970, Dhaka University Students displayed the fag of Bangladesh and a
new map.
 The 6 Points demanded a federal government with direct elections. Representation in the
federal legislative should be based on population.
 Defence, foreign affairs and to some extent, currency would be controlled by the federal
government.

7 December 1970 Elections

 These were Pakistan's first ever general elections based on direct and universal adult
franchise.
 There was great enthusiasm, and the conduct of the election was free and fair.
 In East Pakistan, the Awai League won 167 out of 169 seats.
 In West Pakistan, the Pakistan People’s Party won 8I and later 88 seats. The Awami
League did not win a single seat in the West.
 In Baluchistan and the NWFP, the NAP was in a majority. The party caught in the middle
was the PPP, which set off the constitutional crises.
 There was a tussle between Mujibur Rahman and the Pakistan Government on the 6
Points.
 3 March 1971, the date for convening the Constituent Assembly at Dhaka, Bhutto
declared he would not attend.
 Mujib declared that each wing should have its own Prime Minister.

Ethnic Violence
 0n 25 March 1971, General Tikka Khan ordered military action after Bengali militants
had initiated violence against non-Bengalis.
 Yahya postponed the Assembly Session scheduled for 3 March, which resulted in
widespread genocide again non-Bengalis. Around 30,000 non- Bengalis were killed.
 On 22 March 1971, a three-sided negotiation began between Yahya, Mujib and Bhutto,
the 6 Points were a scheme of secession, therefore, the negotiations failed.

Army Action
 There was indiscriminate killing of Bengalis, both civilian and military, ordered by
General Yaqub Malik and General Tikka Khan.
West Pakistan's Attitude
The east wing was treated as a colony. Also, the literary and cultural bias of the east wing was
different from that of the west wing.

Cross-Border Terrorism

By 1970 the Bengali militant cadre was organized and saboteurs for it were being trained by the
Indian government. The Mukti Bahini (Liberation Army) was helped by the Indians, which was
the start of the war. Indira Gandhi made public statements to the effect that India and Pakistan
were not equal. The USSR regarded the Mukti Bahini as a liberation movement, and supporting
it was just and defensible.

Bhutto’s Govt 1971- 77

 29 December 1971, Bhutto becomes Chief Martial Law Administrator and President.
 All heavy industrial units except textiles are nationalized. Educational institutions are
also nationalized.
 Agricultural reforms announced.
 1 January 1974, banks and insurance companies nationalized.
 Bhutto faces opposition in urban areas, even from the liberal sector when he declared
Sindhi to be the official language of Sindh. Riots occurred.
 Top industrialists are detained briefly.
 There was generally a detrimental effect on nationalized sectors.
 Bhutto had an uneasy relationship with NAP-JUI coalitions in NWFP and Baluchistan.
 Bhutto leaned to the left, pulled out of CENTO and SEATO, recognized North Korea,
North Vietnam and East Germany.
 Had good relationships with Muslim countries. Advised policy of oil embargo.
 In 1974, hosted Second Islamic Summit in Lahore.
 Recognized Bangladesh.
 14 August 1973, promulgated Constitution. Becomes Prime Minister.
 Bhutto laid the foundation of the nuclear programme which enabled Pakistan to test in
1998.
 Scheduled elections for March 1977. The PNA was formed against him, promising an
Islamic order and vowing to lower prices.
 Bhutto alienated committed radicals and welcomed feudals into the PPP.
 In the 1977 elections, PPP won many seats but the PNA claimed that the resalts had been
rigged.
 Bhutto was removed by Zia ul Haq and tried for aiding in the murder of a political
opponent. The Supreme Court Bench trying him was divided and the evidence was not
clear.
 4 April 1979, Bhutto was executed.
 Bhutto possessed a political mystique despite his human failings.

The Simla Agreement

 De Simla Accord signed between India and Pakistan on 2 July 1972 had as it main
provisions.
1) That the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations shall govern the
relations between the two countries (2) That the two countries are resolved to settle their
differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations or by any other peaceful
means mutually agreed upon between them. Pending the final settlement of any problems
between the two countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation (3) In Jammu
and Kashmir, the line of control resulting from the ceasefire of 17 December 1971 shall
be respected by both sides without prejudice to the recognized position of either side.

The Zia ul Haq Regime 1977-1988

 The PPP-PNA clash polarized the nation, destabilized the state and ruined the economy.
 General Zia ul Hag said that his coup was staged so that the army could act as a neutral
force between the PPP and the PNA.
 He said he would hold elections within 90 days and retire to the barracks. He supported
Islamization.
 He imposed the Zakat and Ushr ordinance.
 He imposed Islamic punishments on all crimes except murder, since the Islamic law on
murder would allow Bhutto to be released.
 He altered the law of evidence, as in the crime of rape where the victim was convicted.
 He gave a boost to religious parties and banned political activities.
 Afghan refugees flooded Pakistan after the Soviet invasion. Society vas brutalized, and
Pakistan was introduced to the Kalashnikov and drug culture.
 Zia was able to get money and arms to aid him in the Afghan crisis.
 He continued the nuclear program.
 He allowed Siachen to be given to India.
  In 1983, he crushed the Movement for Democracy-MRD.
 He held a referendum to give himself a 5 year term as president.
 In February 1985, he held elections.
 A non-party parliament was inaugurated with Junejo as Prime Minister.
 He made the passing of the Eighth Amendment essential for the restoration of parliament,
which gave constitutional cover to Martial Law and allowed the president to dismiss the
prime minister.
 31 December 1985, Martial Law was lifted, but Zia remained President and Chief of
Army Staff.
 Junejo acted in an independent manner and displayed an admirable character.
 In April 1988, the Ojhri Munitions Camp blew up, and Junejo launched an inquiry.
 On 29 May 1988. Zia dismissed Prime Minister Junejo and dissolved the Assembly.
 On 17 August 1988; Zia was killed in an air crash. The Chairman of the Senate, Ghulam
Ishaq Khan became President.

Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif Governments 1988-1999

Benazir Bhutto’s Regime (1988-1990)
 For 11-year Pakistan saw a partial lifting of dictatorship.
 During this period there was also an increase in ethnic and sectarian strife.
 Muhajir ethnic feeling was aroused due to legislation regarding employment and
education quotas. The MQM emerged as a result.
 November 1988 elections-PPP had the largest member of seats. President Ishaq Khan
reluctantly named Benazir Bhutto as Prime Minister.
 Benazir Bhutto became the Muslim's World first woman prime minister, and a world
celebrity due to her brave struggle against despotism.
 Punjab voted her rival Nawaz Sharif into power and her coalition with the MQM fell
apart on 6 Oct 1989.
 She admitted to having handed over a list of Sikh dissidents to Indian Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi so that he could crush the dissident movement in India.
 The MQM started a series of strikes which blurred the international impact of the
Kashmiri struggle which had just begun.
 On 6 August 1990, Benazir Bhutto was dismissed on charges brought against her
husband.
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (1990-1993)
 Ishaq transferred power to the leader of the opposition, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi.
 New elections were held and Nawaz Sharif became Prime Minister. He wanted to
reconcile with the PPP and scrap the Eighth Amendment.
 On 18 April l993, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed Nawaz Sharif and dissolved
the National Assembly.
 On 26 May 1993, the Supreme Court restored the National Assembly and the Prime
Minister.
 The president stuck to his post despite the judicial rebuff.
 On 18 July 1993, the President and the Prime Minister both had to resign.
 During the PML term, there was heightened tension in Sindh-MQM versus various
political forces causing great insecurity.
The second term of Benazir Bhutto’s Regime (1993-1996)
 6 Oct 1993, Benazir Bhutto won the elections for a second time, with 86 seats.
 She improved the economy by increasing inward investment and trade.
 On 1 September 1996, her brother, Murtaza Bhutto was shot dead.
 On 5 November 1996, President Farooq Leghari dismissed Benazir Bhutto on charges of
corruption and extra-judicial killings.
The second term of Nawaz Sharif Regime (1997-1999)
 Nawaz Sharif came into power for the second time.
 On 4 April 1997, the National Assembly passed the Thirteenth Amendment to partially
repeal the Eighth Amendment.
 President Leghari resigned on 2 December 1997.
 On 25 May 1997, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE recognized the Taliban regime.
 On 11 May 1998, India held a series of nuclear tests and threatened to occupy Azad
Kashmir.
 On 28 May 1988, Pakistan responded by conducting its own nuclear tests.
 Nawaz announced the freezing of foreign currency and plans to construct the Kalabagh
Dam.
 On 20 February 1999, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpai visited Pakistan on a
friendship bus.
  Pakistan irregulars as well as regulars crossed the LOC and occupied the Kargil Sector.
This was a disastrous move.
 The Prime Minister tabled the Fifteenth Amendment, to make the Quran and Sunnah, the
supreme Law of the land-a move to undermine the constitution and give him a free rein.
No one supported him.
 The PM tried to dismiss the Army Chief, General Pervez Musharraf, while he was on a
flight from Sri Lanka. The army did not support him.
 On 12 October 1999, Nawaz Sharif was ousted in a coup led by General Pervez
Musharraf.

The Pervez Musharraf Regime 1999- 2008

 Musharraf coup d’etat ended Pakistan second democratic interregnum.
 At first, General Musharraf chose to be chief Executive.
 On 6 December 1999, the US Government accepted the military regime legitimacy.
 12 March 2000, the supreme Court judged the military regime to be legitimate, provided
election were held within three years.
 20 June 2001, Musharraf became president after obtaining president Rafiq Tarar
resignation.
 30 April 2002, a referendum was held to confirm General Musharraf as president, he later
admitted there were flaws in it.
 10 October 2002, election was held: President Musharraf shared power with parliament,
and did not effectively transfer power.
 First Prime Minister was Mir Zafrullah khan jamali. He held office from 23 November
2002 to 26 June 2004.
 Chudhry Shujaat Hussain was interim prime Minister for 45 days.
 On 23 august 2004, Shaukat Aziz became Prime Minister.
 A national security council was inducted which alone could dismiss prime minister or
dissolve parliaments. The leader of the opposition was included in it. All services chiefs,
chairman, joint chief of staff committee, Governors and chief ministers of all four
provinces, Defense & Foreign Minister and Secretaries.
 The Afghanistan problem is the real challenge to the regime. President Musharraf
decision to join the US war against terrorism is sound, but there is the problem of
religious warriors, who are left over from the Zia era, who have taken fanaticism and
militancy to extremes.
 After 9\11 Pakistan withdraw its support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
 The president regime has faced a domestic backlash over its policy on south Waziristan
vicinity of Wana. Since April 2003, Wana has became the center of armed resistance to
the government pro-US policy. Wana continues to bleed and a major initiative is required
to restore peace.
 President Musharraf alliance with the west allowed him to ride out the storm of the
A.Q.khan affair. A.Q. khan, the father of the Pakistan bomb, confessed on TV to having
committed certain crime with regard to helping Libya and Iraq in their nuclear
programmes.
 Because of his national standing A.Q. khan was pardoned but remains to the Exit control
list.
 President Musharraf has also been able to withstand pressure to send Pakistani troops to
Iraq.
 Economically the investment climate has not improved; although stability and a control
of ethnic conflict is a positive achievement.
 There has been religious strife of a most alarming nature, directed against Christians.
 There are signs of national reconciliation. Asif Zardari, Benazir Bhutto husband, was
released after eight years imprisonment.
 On August 18, 2008, in a speech defending his record, Musharraf announced that he
would resign.