Capital: Islamabad

PAKISTAN Population: 102·2m. (1987)

GNP percapila: US$350 (1986)
Islamic Republic of
Pakistan

HISTORY. Pakistan was constituted as a Dominion on 14 Aug. 1947, underthe

provisions of the Indian Independence Act, 1947, which received the royal assent
on 18 July 1947. The Dominion consisted of the following former territories of
British India: Bahichistan, East Bengal (including almost the whole of Sylhet, a
former district of Assam), North-West Frontier, West Punjab and Sind; and those
States which had acceded to Pakistan.
On 23 March 1956 an Islamic republic was proclaimed after the Constituent
Assembly had adopted the draft constitution on 29 Feb.
On 7 Oct. 1958 President Mina declared martial law in Pakistan, dismissed the
central and provincial Governments, abolished all political parties and abrogated
the constitution of 23 March 1956. Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan, the
Army Commander-in-Chief, was appointed as chief martial law administrator and
assumed offIce on 28 Oct. 1958, after Maj.-Gen. Iskander Mina had handed all
powers to him. His authority was confIrmed by a ballot in Feb. 1960. He pro-
claimed a new constitution on I March 1962.
On 25 March 1969 President Ayub Khan resigned and handed over power to the
army under the leadership of Maj.-Gen. Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan who
immediately proclaimed martial law throughout the country, appointing himself
chief martial law administrator on the same day. On 29 March 1970 the Legal
Framework Order was published, defming a new constitution: Pakistan to be a
federal republic with a Moslem Head of State; the National Assembly and Provin-
cial Assemblies to be elected in free and periodical elections, the fIrst of which was
held on 7 Dec. 1970.
At the general election the Awami League based in East Pakistan and led by
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gained 167 seats and the Peoples' Party 90. Martial law
continued pending the settlement of differences between East and West, which
developed into civil war in March 1971. The war ended in Dec. 1971 and the East·
em province declared itself an independent state, Bangladesh. On 20 Dec. 1971
President Yahya Khan resigned and Mr Z. A. Bhutto became President and chief
martial law administrator. On 30 Jan. 1972, Pakistan withdrew from the
Commonwealth.
A new Constitution was adopted by the National Assembly on 10 April 1973
and enforced on 14 Aug. 1973. It provided for a federal parliamentary system with
the President as constitutional head and the Prime Minister as chief executive.
President Bhutto stepped down to become Prime Minister and Fazal Elahi
Chaudhry was elected President.
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen. M.Zia-ul-Haq, proclaimed martial law on 5
Jul y 1977 and the armed forces took control of the administration; scheduled elec-
tions were postponed. Mr Bhutto was hanged (for conspiracy to murder) on 4 April
1979. Gen. M. Zia-ul-Haq succeeded Fazal Elahi Chaudhry as President in Sept.
1978.
With the proclamation of martial law the Constitution was kept in abeyance, but
not abrogated.
National elections were held in Feb. 1985 on the basis ofthe 1973 Constitution,
amended to provide wider presidential powers. On 19 Dec. 1984 a referendum had
been held to determine whether the President should continue in offIce for a 5-year
term, following the elections; results were announced as 98% in favour.
The Pakistan People's Party won 47 seats in the new Assembly, the Muslim
League 17 and the Jamaat Islami Party, 9. In March 1985 the President set up a
968
J. Paxton (Ed.), The Statesman’s Year-Book
© Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited 1989
 PAKISTAN 969
new National Security Council, led by himself; he assumed power to appoint and
dismiss ministers and retained the fmal decision on legislation.
In April 1985 the Council was replaced by a Federal Cabinet. On 30 Dec. 1985
martial law ended.
Governors-General ojPakistan: Quaid-I-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah (14 Aug.
1947·-11 Sept. 1948); Khawaja Nazimuddin (14 Sept. 1948-18 Oct. 1951; took
over the premiership after the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan); Ghulam
Mohammad (19 Oct. 1951-6 Aug. 1955); Maj.-Gen. Iskander Mirza (assumed
office of President on 6 Oct. 1955, elected President on 5 March 1956).
Presidents of Pakistan: Maj.-Gen. Iskander Mirza (23 March 1956-28 Oct.
1958); Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan (28 Oct. 1958-25 March 1969);
Maj.·Gen. Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan (31 March 1969-20 Dec. 1971);
ZulfIqar Ali Bhutto (20 Dec.1971-14 Aug. 1973); Fazal Elahi Chaudhry (14 Aug.
1973--16 Se pt. 1978); Gen. Mohammad Zia ul-Haq (16 Sept. 1978-17 Aug. 1988);
Ghulam Ishaq Khan (acting 17 Aug. 1988, confirmed 12 Dec. 1988).

AREA AND POPULATION. Pakistan is bounded north-west by Afghanis-

tan, north by the USSR and China, east by India and south by the Arabian Sea. The
total area of Pakistan is 307,293 sq. miles (796,095 sq. km); population (1981
census), 84.25m.; males, 44,232,000; females, 40,021,000. Density, 105·8 per sq.
km. Estimate (1987) 102·2m. Urban population, 28·3%.
The population ofthe principal cities is:
Cellsw,,/l981
Islamabad 201,000 Multan 730.000 Jhang 195.000
Karaehi 5,103,000 Gujranwala 597,000 Sukkur 191.000
Lahore 2,922,000 Peshawar 555,000 Bahawalpur 178,000
Faisalabad 1,092,000 Sialkot 296,000 Kasur 155.000
Rawalpindi 928,000 Sargodha 294.000 Gujrat 154.000
Hyderabad 795,000 Quetta 285,000 Okara 154.000

Population ofthe provinces (census of I 981) was (I ,000):

1981 densit)"
Area 1981 censlIS population per sq. km Estimated
(sq. km) Total Male Female Urhtlll (nllmber) total 1985
North-west Frontier
Province 74.521 11,061 5.761 5,300 1,665 148 12,287
Federally admin.
Tribal Areas 27,219 2,199 1.143 1,056 81 2,467
Fed. Cap. Territory
Islamabad 907 340 185 155 204 376 379
Punjab 205,344 47,292 24.860 22,432 13,051 230 53,840
Sind 140,914 19,029 9.999 9,030 8,243 135 21,682
Baluchist<in 347,190 4,332 2,284 2,048 677 12 4,908

By Jan. 1987 there were 3m. Afghan refugees in Pakistan, of whom most were in
the North-west Frontier Province, and small numbers in Baluchistan and the
Punjab.
Language. The commonest languages are Urdu and Punjabi. Urdu is the
national language while English is used in business and in central government. Pro-
vincial languages are Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu (North-West Frontier Province),
Baluchi and Brahvi.

CLI\1ATE. A weak form of tropical monsoon climate occurs over much of the
country, with arid conditions in the north and west, where the wet season is only
from Dec. to March. Elsewhere, rain comes mainly in the summer. Summer tem-
peratures are high everywhere, but winters can be cold in the mountainous north.
Islamabad. Jan. 50"F (lO"C), July 90"F (32·2"C). Annual rainfall 36" (900 mm).
Karachi. Jan. 61'F (l6·I'C), July 86"F (30"C). Annual rainfall 8" (196 mm).
Lahore. Jan. 53'F (11· rC), July 89"F (31. rC). Annual rainfall 18" (452 mm).
Multan. Jan. 51"F (I 0·6"C), July 93'F (33 ·9"('). Annual rainfall 7" (170 mm).
Quetta. Jan. 38' F (3· YC), July 80" F (26· rC). Annual rainfall 10" (239 mm).