The First Military Regimes In Pakistan (1958–1971): Authoritarian Rule, State Formation And Political Crisis
Abstract
The article examines the specific features of Pakistan’s political development from independence in 1947 to the end of the first cycle of military rule in 1971. Drawing on a wide range of historical studies and documentary materials, the research analyses how the “two-nation theory” and the circumstances of partition shaped a fragile state structure marked by weak civil institutions, deep ethno-linguistic and regional cleavages, and chronic political instability. Particular attention is paid to the consolidation of the army as the key political actor and to the establishment of the military regimes of General Muhammad Ayub Khan and General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan. The study evaluates Ayub Khan’s model of “basic democracies”, the 1962 Constitution and controlled presidential elections, showing how attempts at guided modernisation combined with authoritarian practices intensified social and regional tensions, especially in East Pakistan. The article further explores Yahya Khan’s policies, the 1970 general elections, the failure to transfer power to the Awami League, the escalation of internal conflict, the 1971 war with India and the emergence of Bangladesh. The conclusions highlight that military rule did not ensure political stability or national integration, and underline the broader lessons of Pakistan’s early statehood for contemporary debates on civil–military relations, democratic governance and nation-building in newly independent and developing states, including those of Central Asia.