The Civilianization of Military Rule in Pakistan

The withdrawal of martial law on December 30, 1985, terminated the longest military rule (July 1977-December 1985) in Pakistan. restored a carefully tailored constitutional system that civilianized the Zia regime, facilitated the cooption of a section of the civilian elite, and provided adequate guarantees for the entrenched position of the ruling generals. The hallmark of the post-martial law system is the continuity of policies and several key personnel from the martial law period. While addressing the joint session of Parliament on the eve of the withdrawal of martial law, President Zia-ul-Haq declared that the new order did not represent a departure from the policies of the martial law period: It is no rival or adversary of the outgoing system. is, in fact, the extension of the system in existence for the past several years.1 The antecedents of constitutional rule can be traced to President Zia-ulHaq's address to the Federal Council on August 12, 1983 (popularly known as the August 12 Plan), which envisaged the holding of national elections and the transfer of power to the elected representatives by March 23, 1985. However, like a military commander who likes to keep his adversary guessing about his moves, President Zia-ul-Haq declined to spell out the schedule and mode of elections until ten weeks before the deadline. These uncertainties were purposely maintained because the general, who disclaimed any political ambition when he assumed power in 1977, had started toying with the idea of hanging onto power after the withdrawal of martial law. Some of his cabinet members, right-wing supporters, and especially the conservative religious groups argued that President Zia-ulHaq should continue in office to complete what they described as the mission of Islamization of the polity

Democracy · Military rule · Political science · Politics · Law · Military History and Strategy · Peacebuilding and International Security · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East

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